How women-led groups in Maryland are improving reading literacy for food insecure families

ROCKVILLE, Md. (7News) — Reporter's Notebook: We learned during - and in the aftermath of the pandemic - a link between food insecurity and reading literacy. Click here, here, and here for research on this topic. Well, a group of women-led non-profits in the DMV are working hard to break that cycle by getting new books to families in need.

Inside Trina Leonard’s home in Rockville, the retired public relations pro works on her math skills.

“Sixteen, Seventeen in this one," said Leonard while counting books and placing them in various boxes.

Former Montgomery County Councilmember Gail Ewing and Leonard's son Daniel were also loading up various children's titles, putting the finishing touches on a book donation drive months in the making.

“And here we are today with over 1200 books in less than 6 months. This is phenomenal," Ewing told us.

They asked friends to buy new books for this educational project of goodwill. The titles they grew up cherishing.

“We got a lot of the Brown Bear, you know, the books that people love," said Leonard.

The narratives that fuel our imaginations, allowing us to soar to new places and in the process learn about ourselves and the world around us.

Leonard added, “It can take you away from the life you are living and could show you the life you could live which is wonderful, I think, for all of us.”

The free soft and hardbacks are going to children 7 and under from under-resourced communities in Montgomery County. The event was at Flower Valley Elementary School in Rockville, Maryland.

“We know that if kids are not at grade level or above by third grade they are four times as likely to not graduate from high school which has an enormous impact obviously on your whole life," said Leonard.

They’re nurturing the idea that literacy matters, and that reading stories can not only be fun but they can change our lives. Their passion for culling books led to the formation of a new non-profit called Inspiring Young Readers.

Leonard concluded, “My daughter said some of her happiest memories are of us reading together when she was little. I want everybody to have that.”

Only days later, a celebration of literacy unfolded at Flower Valley Elementary School with more than a thousand donated, new books on display.

“It’s incredible, just the generosity of people, remarked volunteer Della Stolsworth.

The highlight – children packing the stage for a riveting read of Peter Rabbit by none other than retired Member of Congress Connie Morella.

“Mr. McGregor ran after Peter Rabbit waving a rake," Morella read.

Then, volunteers like Della Stolsworth packed up 1200-plus books one last time en route to various organizations in the DMV that help those in need like Small Things Matter, led by Roxanne Yamashita. This non-profit routinely nourishes hundreds of people from under-resourced, immigrant communities in the Takoma Park area.

“We had a lot of help during the pandemic and a lot of that support has gone away which has left a lot of the families struggling," said Yamashita during one of her organization's food distribution days. Along with various canned goods and fresh produce, also on the menu - scores of books that families can take home thanks to Inspiring Young Readers.

Yamashita said, “We believe that everybody can do something small to make a difference in somebody’s life.”

Wide smiles, eager eyes, and books clutched tightly – obvious signs that this literacy program is already making a difference. Mother Milagro Hernandez knows full well the impact of this moment.

“She reads every night. She happy all the time with the books," said Hernandez.

She tells us her children’s voracious reading habits will soon be satisfied.

“She learning too much in the books, new words, new expressions, everything," concluded Hernandez.

Yamashita added, “We have a literacy program because we believe that this is one way to break the cycle of poverty.”