COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — Twice a year, six Title One schools across Colorado Springs and Pueblo receive free books through the "If You Give a Child a Book" campaign, funded entirely by community donations.
Title One is a federal education program that supports low-income students and their schools. Thursday, News5 visited Carmel Community School on the southeast side of Colorado Springs where students selected books to keep.
Colton Roberts, a fourth grader at Carmel Community School, walked around the books fair carefully selecting each book.
"I have four books, I'm keeping the Stranger Things and D&D book," said Roberts.
It is his first year at Carmel Community School. He says reading is something he and his mom share together.
"Reading is the most favorite thing that I do with her. It's a good bonding time," said Roberts.
At his previous school, Roberts says there was a book fair, but it came with a cost.
"But we had to pay for the books and she didn't have any money to give me at the time," said Roberts.
His mother, Marie Roberts, says books are difficult to fit into the family budget.
"With the way the economy is right now, most people can barely afford to get groceries and everything, let alone think about getting their kids' books at a book fair," said Marie Roberts.
For Colton Roberts, the free giveaway has made all the difference.
"This year, it's made me happy because I've been able to get books," said Colton Roberts.
The campaign is made possible in part by donors like AFCEA Rocky Mountain Chapter, a local military-based nonprofit and one of the biggest contributors to the Scripps Howard Fund.
Cody Goodin, VP of Military Affairs for the AFCEA Rocky Mountain Chapter, says the mission is straightforward.
"The idea is just to give away books to kids and start encouraging literacy, their curiosity, and start building lifelong learners at an early age," said Goodin.
This year marks the eighth year AFCEA has contributed to the campaign, donating $65,000 to the Scripps Howard Fund, which purchases the books distributed to students. Students at the book fair had a simple message for donors.
"Thank you," students at the book fair said together.
Kamarra Stant, the library tech at Carmel Community School, has seen the impact of the books year after year.
"You can see like them actually trying to sound out the words, growth with phonetics and being able to know letter names," said Stant.
For Marie Roberts, watching her son's relationship with reading transform has been remarkable.
"A few years ago it would have been a pain in the butt to get him to pick up a book and now he's begging me, 'Mom, can we have some reading time?' And it's, it's my favorite thing to hear in the world," said Marie Roberts.
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