I am Co-Founder of the Twelve Days of Christmas, Inc. I am dedicated to serve and excited to share sponsorship opportunities for the "Legacy Tea: Brewing Infinite Possibilities." This year, we commemorate 25 years of phenomenal service. Our organization is committed to helping and making a difference in the lives of families facing hardships. We are hands-on with eye-to-eye contact in all our programs: Literacy, School Readiness, Family Support, Emergency Relief, Community Service, Senior Care and Holiday Giving. We seek opportunities of generosity that combine with our service to yield maximum benefits that changes lives for the betterment of our community. Your generosity is a gift of enormous appreciation and a blessing to so many who have diminished resources and circumstances beyond their control. Join us in "Brewing Infinite Possibilities.”
Our programs target a specific need within our community. I want to expound on our literacy impact for which I am extremely passionate. Our R.E.A.D. (Read to Empower Achieve and Discover) Program is considered the “ultimate gift,” one that does not break or wear out. R.E.A.D. is committed to a child’s future. This commitment emphasizes literacy as the most important factor for building a solid foundation for life-long learning. The program's primary focus is to tackle the basic challenges of reading through creative storytelling that encourages a love of reading and a desire to read, elevates aspirations and provides book ownership. We are aware that statistics show that by third grade, a child's lack of reading skills affect grades, self-esteem, prompts behavior issues, increases dropout rates and is even a predictor of incarceration. Every child no matter their circumstances deserves to acquire this foundation and an opportunity for a brighter future, to become a "child of promise."
This past year, we distributed over 6,000 books via our R.E.A.D.-Alouds featuring “celebrity readers”, R.E.A.D. Summer Challenge, R.E.A.D. Spring Break Book Fair, R.E.A.D. Holiday Book Fair, “Christmas in July” Back-to-School Readiness Program, R.E.A.D. Pep Rally, and community and shelter collaborations. If you wonder why this program is so important, simply note that there is one book for every 300 homes of low-income families compared to 13+ books in every home for middle income families. We aim to impact this reality with an increase in book ownership for underprivilege children and to share with them the benefits and joys of reading. I am most proud knowing that we are harvesting the potential of these children and that we are steps closer to closing the book ownership gap.
Find out more about our other programs and our community impact in the 25th Anniversary Sponsorship Packet. It is an honor to serve within a sisterhood of Black philanthropic like-minded women who are dedicated, committed and responsive to the needs of the community. 12Days is positioned and ready to continue our legacy of extraordinary service and impact.
In the spirit of Christmas,
Gayla Gardner
