WAUSAU – United Way of Marathon County is collecting new and gently used children’s books for the Ready to Read program, putting books on shelves at local nonprofits.

In 2020, more than 8,000 books were distributed to children ages birth to 5 through Ready to Read. The most needed books are board books for early readers, from birth to 3 years of age.

Here’s how you can help:

  1. Collect new and gently used children’s books at your company, business, church group or volunteer group and contact Krista Mischo, United Way’s volunteer coordinator, to coordinate cleaning materials for your books. United Way will provide cleaning kits for your group to participate in cleaning and stickering books for our community bookshelves. You can deliver these books to a bookshelf in need.
  2. Collect new and gently used children’s books and drop them off at United Way June 8 and/or June 9.
  3. During Week of Action, June 21 through June 25, United Way will offer a variety of volunteer projects for you to participate in. Watch for sign-up information through your email and on United Way’s social media sites.

To learn more, visit unitedwaymc.org/improve-lives/education/ready-to-read/.