Helena Little Free Libraries visited by TORC the CAT
Making a Difference, One Book at a Time! #SMILESwithTORC
TORC visited a total of 25 Little Free Libraries in Helena, Montana, where he donated 84 books. The first-time finders got a coloring book as a bonus to the matching TORC the CAT children's books.
TORC is the One of a kind CAT, with two book series in work: TORC the CAT discoveries and TORC the CAT short stories.
TORC was rescued in 2009 from an animal shelter in Washington State, USA. His curiosity and his loving nature inspired NONA to create her TORC the CAT character.
Why is TORC donating his books to Little Free Libraries around the country? Because he believes all children from all backgrounds should have easy access to books year-round at home.
Why does having access to even a relatively small set of books seem to make such a big difference? The U.S. Department of Education maintains that independent reading is a widely recognized precursor to:
• Better skills acquisition
• Superior grades
• Desirable life related to income, profession, employment, and other attributes.
More than 40 million Americans live below the poverty line, and of those facing such financial hardship, children are disproportionately affected. Nearly 12.6 million children under age 18 live in households with poverty level income.
Not only are children at higher risk of poverty, they are also especially vulnerable to poverty's harmful effects, both in the immediate and long-term. Childhood poverty can negatively impact brain development and has been linked with a greater likelihood of chronic illness, shorter life expectancy, and poor emotional and behavioral health. Those who spend some or all of their childhood in poverty are also less likely to succeed in school or be financially secure later in life.
The Poverty Rate across the state of Montana is 14.4%, meaning Helena has a slightly higher than average percentage of residents below the poverty line when compared to the rest of Montana. Source: https: www.welfareinfo.org/poverty-rate/montana/helena
Tag @TORCtheCAT in your posts and/or stories if you spot his books and don’t forget to use the #SMILESwithTORC hashtag.
“The illustrations of the animals are particularly charming and the easy writing style kept children in love with this material. I highly recommend it.”
