The Central Georgia EMC Foundation presented a check for $1,000 to Ferst Readers of Monroe County (formerly known as Monroe Reads) on July 25. The money will be used to buy and send age-appropriate books to children ages birth to 5 in Monroe County each month; materials for parents and caregivers to use to encourage reading are also included.

It costs $36 per year to give this gift to encourage literacy to a child. Caroline Nickel, chair of Ferst Readers of Monroe County, said the Central Georgia EMC Foundation grant comes at a good time because the group has not been able to buy more books or sign up more children for the last few months because funds are low. 

“This is a great boost to the program of Monroe Reads and our goal of increasing literacy in Monroe County,” said Nickel.

“This will provide books for 35 children for a year,” said Eddie Sheppard of Ferst Readers.