Our Programs
Books At Birth
With the assistance of the RSVP volunteers, the C.I.D.S. nurses, and the Arnot Ogden Medical Center, FRPCV provides every newborn with a gift of a new board book and a message to parents that promotes reading in the family.
Places books into families' homes, increasing book ownership
Lets families know that it is never too early to start reading aloud to their babies
Starts a new community book tradition by celebrating the birth of the baby, one of the most joyous family events, with a book
Provides our community's families with a common book experience that crosses ethnic and socio-economic lines
Lets families know the importance and pleasure of reading to babies; reading aloud to babies creates a special bond between parent and child
Reading aloud to a child now will help the child have success learning to read later on.
Baby wearing a “Read to me” shirt while being read a book aloud.
Traveling Books
To foster the joys of reading aloud, Traveling Books brings together volunteer readers, fifteen family day care providers affiliated with the Child Care Council of Chemung County, and children each month. FRPCV volunteers will read a story or two aloud to the children and will leave about 25 books to be read aloud during the month. The volunteer will return with a new batch of books a month later and every month thereafter.
Because each volunteer will visit the same home each month, the bond among the children, their care provider, and the volunteer should become stronger as they read, talk, and laugh together, strengthening their love of literacy as well.
A community effort, this program has been funded by the generosity of the Anderson Foundation and the Park Church and shaped by the generosity of children's librarians and teachers who donated their time and expertise, selecting and ordering the books and training the volunteers.
Family reading a book to two young children. It’s a joyful experience!
Traveling Bright Red Bookshelf
FRPCV participates in over 50 community events throughout the year distributing free new and gently-used books to children. We love bringing along special guests to delight all, and modeling the joy reading aloud brings during community programs, open houses and events.
Our Traveling Bright Red Bookshelf outreach programs are free and available for not-for-profit events and programs. For more information on characters and availability, email us at familyreadingpartnership@gmail.com
Book Fest
Book Fest is a free annual event that offers book-centered fun to community families. The Family Reading Partnership organizes the event and partners with individuals, organizations, and businesses throughout the area to bring parents and children together around the excitement of children's books.
Helps the community come together to celebrate children's literature
Heightens interest in books and promotes family reading
Encourages teachers to use books interactivity in the classroom
Involves community organizations and individuals in the effort
Creates a show piece event for the community
For details of the May 2024 event, go to the Book Fest 2024 page.
Bright Red Bookshelf
Students at Hendy Elementary School collected over 1,000 books to donate to the Bright Red Bookshelf. As a result, their principal dressed up as a Christmas Tree!
The Bright Red Bookshelf is a Family Reading Partnership (FRPCV) program that collects gently used children’s books and then distributes them on bright red bookshelves in permanent locations throughout our community.
books to grow on
Books to Grow On distributes between 6000 and 7000 books each year. An important function of Books to Grow On is the volunteer reader program. As children wait for their pediatric appointments they are read to in the waiting room. This program allows for children to enjoy being read to and serves as a vehicle to model reading out loud for parents. Books to Grow On thanks our readers for their dedicated service.
Seven primary care practices in Chemung County participate in this program. Over 7000 brand-new books are given to children and their families each year through this program.
Encourages parents to include books and reading aloud as a special part of everyday life for their children
Increases positive family and child interaction
Increases book ownership for all children and families
Helps all children to enter school ready to learn
Black and white photo. Boy reading book to girl toddler
Read to Me Any Time Any Place banner posted on side of building.
"Read To Me" Banners
With the help and generosity of many supporters Family Reading Partnership is able to display these banners on the sides of buildings throughout the community spreading the "read together" message.
The banners are colorful illustrations created by local and national children’s book illustrators, including Elmira’s own Tedd Arnold. The banners come in two sizes, a 9x12’ billboard size and a smaller 3x4’ size. 16 large banners have been hung inside or outside different buildings in our community.
Similar banners have been hung in Ithaca by the Ithaca Family Reading Partnership. A third grade teacher in Ithaca commented, “We love being surrounded by the “Read To Me” message. The banners reflect what we value as a community-- children, families, reading, and art.
Read for the Record 2017 infographic by JumpStart.
Read For the Record
Family Reading Partnership works to facilitate the national program, Jumpstart, on a local level by encouraging children to join in the nationwide effort to read a particular book on a specific day as a means of promoting the benefits of reading.