By Khalida Sarwari
Thousands of kindergarten students will have no shortage of imagination this summer thanks to a program that will provide them with backpacks filled with books.
The “Richmond Kindergarten Library Initiative,” will provide each child a backpack with three books and a schedule of summer reading events at the Richmond Library.
Beginning at 9 a.m. today, volunteers will stuff about 1,200 bags at the Richmond Library to distribute later to the students.
The initiative, which aims to bring books and literary resources to kindergarten classes, is a joint project of the East Bay Community Foundation, the Chamberlin Family Foundation, Bring Me A Book, and the West Contra Costa County Unified School District.
The program has thus far provided 49 classrooms with 1,470 books, and also offers reading workshops for parents, caregivers and teachers.