From a conversation to a community in action

Hastings Prince Edward students in grades 3 to 10 are below provincial averages in reading and writing, with 37% of preschoolers labelled vulnerable in 1 or more development areas.

Back in 2009, a group of members of the Prince Edward County Arts Council sat down to discuss a pressing topic: the low literacy scores in County schools. Throughout that discussion the group found that many of the students most struggling were from low-income households with little to no books.  

Armed with this knowledge, that small group set out on a mission to ensure that children in our community would have their very own books — not simply to loan, but to keep forever. In the years that have followed, County Kids Read has given out tens of thousands of books, worked with dozens of community partners, and brought joy to countless children in our community. 

From day one, our focus has always been on getting books into a child’s hands and trusting that all it takes is the right book to transform a reluctant reader into an avid one, and a future of uncertainty into one of possibilities. 

Reading for pleasure is the single most important indicator of a child's future success.