United Way of San Diego County and Warwick’s bookstore have launched a month-long virtual book drive in conjunction with Read Across America Day in hopes of inspiring a love of reading in local kids. They’ve set a lofty goal of 1,500 books, which will be donated to children in need. Studies show that enhancing a child’s access to books at home has a significant impact on their long-term learning, but UWSD says many local students don’t have access to a sufficient amount of age-appropriate books at home.
“Before the pandemic, many San Diego families were already struggling to meet reading requirements due to lack of time and access to resources. We know the difficulties our community is facing when it comes to reading at home,” said Nancy Sasaki, president and CEO, United Way of San Diego County. “Our virtual book drive will help alleviate the battle parents and students are experiencing by making books available in the home.”
Visit uwsd.org/read-across-america to purchase a book or make a financial donation.
Crews prepare to set Wounded Warrior Homes’ newest transitional residence
Construction is underway on Wounded Warrior Homes’ fourth transitional residence for veterans with post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injury. Navy and civilian volunteers provided the labor. The home was donated by Warrior Village Project in conjunction with San Marcos High School.
Wounded Warrior Homes was established to provide veterans experiencing PTSD and TBI a safe environment and support services to help transition back into civilian life. Once finished, the structure on the Wounded Warrior Homes’ Vista property will allow the nonprofit to house a 14th resident.
USO San Diego celebrated the nationwide organization’s 80th anniversary with a cake drop at local installations. Since it was founded, the USO has supported members of the military and their families with care packages, entertainment, and other morale-boosting programs. Other chapters in its nine-state West region marked the milestone anniversary with tasty food, socially distanced events, and other activities.
“Our local USOs throughout the West are proud to celebrate the USO’s legacy of serving America’s Armed Forces,” said USO West President Bob Kurkjian. “We believe a strong America is a force for good in the world, and our strength as a nation rests on keeping service members connected to the things they joined the Armed Forces to defend—family, home, and country.”
Sou-Yeon Pak, Impact Manager at United Way of San Diego County, reads to a group of captivated kids
