The Black Child Development Institute (BCDI)-Milwaukee will host its second annual Love to Read Literacy Initiative on August 4 and 5, 2012. The event will take place on the African World Festival Grounds at the entrance of the Children’s Area within the festival from 12:00 – 6:00 p.m.

Love to Read places books collected from local organizations into the hands of children and young adults. A total of 3,500 books were distributed in 2011 and the 2012 goal is to reach 3,000 children and young adults. Additional books are still needed. Book donations are welcomed, contact Tammy Saffold at 1-855-653-2234 for details.

The Milwaukee event is tied to the National Black Child Development Institute’s (NBCDI) national early literacy public education initiative designed to help parents and other caregivers improve African American children’s academic performance.

This year donations have been received by Kohls, Salvation Army, Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, Next Door Foundation and others. Children will receive a reading bag to accompany their books.

Local organizations that donated books in 2011 included African World Festival, Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, the CSSW-Foster Grandparent Program, Fresh Start, Gray’s Child Development, Half Price Books, Next Door Foundation, the Salvation Army of Greater Milwaukee, UPS, and personal donations from BCDI-Milwaukee Board members. Event partners and volunteers included MPS, Phi Beta Sigma Brothers, and Wells Fargo.

To learn about BCDI Milwaukee and its activities, visit: www.bcdi-milwaukee.org or call 1-855-653-2234