Youk's Kids and Reach Out and Read team up for military book drive

  • Published
HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. --  Youk's Kids, Red Sox infielder Kevin Youkilis' children's advocacy organization, and Reach Out and Read, the nationwide school readiness program, together are hosting a book drive to support military families in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

To kick off the book drive, books were collected at Fenway Park during the Red Sox game Sept. 14. Red Sox fans, along with the general public, were asked to donate new age-appropriate books for children under the age of 5.

"The event was a phenomenal success! It was a great to see Kevin Youkilis, Shaun Thornton, of the Boston Bruins, the mayor of Boston and Reach out and Read supporting our military children," said Maj. Aaron Potter, 66th Medical Squadron Mental Health Flight commander.

Another member of the Mental Health Flight also attended the event with his children.

"This experience has made my daughter a Red Sox fan for life," said Master Sgt. David Hassan. "I'm so appreciative for having the opportunity to experience a day at Fenway Park with my family and for the help the Youk's Kids and Reach out and Read programs are giving military children."

More than 1,800 books are needed to support Reach Out and Read Programs at the Hanscom clinic and Naval Health Clinic New England in Newport, R.I.

Books will also be collected at locations throughout the Boston area now through Sept. 30. Collection boxes will be located at Brookline Children's Book Shop in Brookline, Wellesley Books, Davio's Restaurant Boston, Dependable Cleaners, Hotel Commonwealth, Kings Bowling, New England Mobile Book Fair and select Qdoba locations.

"We are thrilled to partner with Kevin Youkilis and his incredible organization to support military families and children," said Reach Out and Read CEO Earl Martin Phalen. "We know that reading to children improves family relationships, reduces stress and promotes resiliency. By ensuring that children grow up with books and highly-engaged parents, we are helping military families to cope with stressful situations - and succeed in school."

Mr. Youkilis, himself, has been involved with the program.

"Many children of military families sacrifice so much when one of their parents is deployed overseas for extended periods of time. At Youk's Kids, we wanted to do something to help these children and thank them for their sacrifices," said Mr. Youkilis. "With this book drive, we hope to tap into the generosity of Red Sox Nation to collect more than 1,800 books for the families supported by Reach out and Read."

In April, Reach Out and Read teamed with the White House's Joining Forces campaign, a national initiative to support and honor America's service members and their families. In support of Joining Forces, Reach Out and Read will expand to 100 U.S. bases by 2013, serving more than 200,000 children of military families.

"We are thrilled that Reach Out and Read is teaming with Joining Forces - and that Kevin Youkilis and Youk's Kids have joined the efforts to ensure that all of our military children have access to books," said Joining Forces Executive Director Capt. Brad Cooper. "The partnership with Youk's Kids exemplifies what Joining Forces is all about - the community coming together to ensure that military families have the opportunities, resources and support they have earned."

To read more about the Reach Out and Read program at Hanscom, visit www.hanscom.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123235287.