2024 GWA's Service Project

This year, we will be working with a nonprofit, Our Children Oregon. The strive for whole child advocacy recognizes the interconnectedness of systems and takes a holistic approach to improve child well-being so that children and youth have the opportunities and resources to live their full potential with self-determination and freedom from systemic oppression. It sounds a whole lot like they are also creating superheroes in our community. Our Children Oregon seeks a future where all children and their families have what they need to thrive and experience happiness, belonging, and safety in their homes and communities. They are the only whole children’s advocacy organization in Oregon.

Our partnership will add to their efforts of not only creating advocacy in a new setting but personally reaching out to our communities. In a recent study, Our Children Oregon found that less than half of Oregon’s 3rd graders, a little over half of 8th graders, and only two-thirds of high school juniors were considered “proficient readers.” Across Oregon communities, child literacy is a growing concern; children are not meeting the benchmark despite the efforts of parents and educators. My goal for each assembly is to plan to work at least twice this year with a local organization to help support child literacy. There are organizations in each community, such as SMART Reading.org. This can be in the form of cleaning books, facilitating a book drive, or working with a local library to facilitate a storytime. Reading should be fun, so let’s make it fun. These storytimes can happen at your lodge or a local park. You can make it fun for the holidays, such as a “Storytime with Santa” or dress up as your favorite superhero and have a “reading can be your superpower,” all helping to build confidence and a love for reading.