Manatee Habitat & Manatee Reads members & employees with "Be the One" CookiesBradenton, FL Sept. 9, 2016 - A unique non-profit partnership has recently developed and its first outreach is to help a third. Manatee County Habitat for Humanity and Manatee Reads! entered into a partnership to join forces to help promote their individual missions which seem to intertwine. This joint venture was formed as part of the upcoming Giving Challenge fundraiser taking place September 20-21.
“Building a Foundation Together” has become the theme of this union. Although they approach it from different angles, both organizations strive to provide independence and dignity to individuals in our community. Habitat for Humanity builds the foundation of a home. Manatee Reads! builds the foundation of the family by improving literacy skills. With their combined volunteer bases, they hope to initiate positive change in Manatee County.
“We are glad to partner with Manatee Reads! for the Giving Challenge and beyond to help each other achieve our goals,” says Diana Shoemaker, Executive Director of Manatee Habitat for Humanity.
Their first venture together involves Bradenton’s 13th Avenue Dream Center. Habitat for Humanity recently was awarded a literacy grant from the Rubbermaid Foundation to build mobile library carts and partner with a community organization to help support their literacy programs. The 13th Ave. Dream Center of United Community Centers was chosen for the literacy partner. Manatee Reads! has signed on to stock these library carts with reading material. “Although we focus on adult literacy, we are glad to provide any help in advancing literacy at any age level in Manatee County”, states Roger Boos, Manatee Reads! Board president.
The dedication of these new mobile library carts took place on Thursday September 8th at the Dream Center. The children and youths of the Dream Center used their artistic talent to paint and decorate these carts. They were then stocked with books provided by Manatee Reads! According to Alexdrena Green, COO of the Dream Center, “We are excited to collaborate with Manatee Reads! and Habitat for Humanity to make available literary resources to the youth and adults in the neighborhoods surrounding the 13th Avenue Dream Center. Through this partnership it is our hope to minimize the obstacles and barriers that prevent the development of life long readers and productive corporate citizens.”
Partnerships... different causes coming together for the good of the community.