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New Castle County Delaware Chapter of Mocha Moms, Inc. Launches its First Girls Booked on Beautyshops Reading Nook
Local mothers group joins national initiative to encourage reading among boys in urban communities.

(Elsemere, DE) December 19, 2009 -- Mocha Moms, Inc., a national support organization for stay-at-home mothers of color and The National Institute for Literacy, a federal agency, have launched an innovative partnership to support early literacy and help foster a love for books and reading.

The New Castle County Delaware Chapter of Mocha Moms, Inc. will kick-off its Girls Booked on Beautyshops (G-BOB) on Saturday, December 19th at 11:00 a.m. at Bliss Elements Salon & Spa, 2400 E. Kirkwood Highway in Elsemere. The launch to introduce the “book nook” to the community will include food and giveaways.

Girls Booked on Beautyshops and Boys Booked on Barbershops are a growing national initiative launched in 2004 that takes advantage of naturally occurring opportunities in the community to foster a love of reading. G-BOB and B-BOB reading nooks have debuted in more than 100 barbershops and beautyshops across the country, from Florida to Illinois. Mocha Moms, Inc. has been a G-BOB and B-BOB partner since 2006. Since then, more than 30 Mocha Moms chapters across the country have signed on to create reading nooks in local barbershops and beautyshops. The nooks feature books by and about African Americans, with an emphasis on topics that interest the shop’s clientele.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, nine out of ten African-American students have not mastered reading by the fourth grade. Through their new partnership, the Institute and Mocha Moms are also planning a wide range of national campaigns and activities, including a “Take Your Child to the Library Day,” to increase the number of children and families in communities of color who obtain library cards and who read for enjoyment. Scholastic, the global children’s publishing, media and education company, has also recently joined the effort, agreeing to provide hundreds of books to Mocha Moms chapters participating in the program.

“I can’t think of a better way to promote reading among boys while engaging men in fostering an interest in books,” said Sandra L. Baxter, Ed.D., director of the National Institute for Literacy. To date, the Institute has published nearly 50 million copies of its scientifically-based reading and literacy publications designed for parents, families, caregivers, literacy practitioners, and educators. All Institute publications are distributed at no cost.

About Mocha Moms:
The Fredericksburg Chapter is a local chapter serving mothers and families in the city of Fredericksburg, King George & Spotsylvania County areas.

Mocha Moms, Inc., is a 501(c)(3) non-profit (EIN: 52-2197655) organization that was started in 1997 for the purpose of connecting and supporting mothers of color nationwide. It is a support group that advocates for women who have chosen not to work full-time outside of the home in order to devote more time to their families, as well as for mothers who are trying to balance work and home. Mocha Moms does not discriminate. Any person who supports the mission of Mocha Moms is welcome to join, regardless of sex, race, religion, or socioeconomic/employment status. Today, there are almost 3000 members nationwide. Today Mocha Moms Chapters can be found all over the country with several chapters in Texas, including Houston, Dallas and San Antonio. The Austin Chapter was founded in 2003 and continues to thrive today because of the hard work and efforts of many dedicated moms.

About the National Institute for Literacy:

At the Institute, literacy is broadly viewed-it is an individual's ability to read, write, speak in English, compute, and solve problems at levels of proficiency necessary to function on the job, in the family, and in society. Since its creation in 1991, the Institute has worked to help the nation meet some of its current-and emerging-literacy challenges. Working in partnership at the federal level and informed by research, expert advice, and stakeholder input, the Institute collaborates across organizations, constituencies, and disciplines to affect systemic change.



 

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