According to an Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation press release, 1 in 3 children are reading at grade level by the end of third grade. In Oakland after two years of distance learning, only 15.4% of Black and 12.5% of Latino/a elementary students are reading at grade level.
Leading with literacy! Ayesha & Stephen Curry are helping install 150 "Little Town Libraries" all over Oakland through @eatlearnplay -- More tonight at 4, 6 & 11 on @abc7newsbayarea pic.twitter.com/up4DrsSBqE
— Chris Alvarez (@CAlvarezABC7) March 31, 2022
"From kindergarten through third grade, making sure you are reading at your grade level by the time you get to third grade determines your educational future," said Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation co-founder Ayesha Curry. "So for us, turning those numbers around is really, really important."
Wishing a very happy birthday to our co-founder, @ayeshacurry! 🎉
— Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation (@eatlearnplay) March 23, 2022
We're so grateful to have leaders like Ayesha helping us to uplift our pillars and serve the #Oakland community. pic.twitter.com/qEhWSgXrXi
Back in September, the Curry's unveiled the Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation bus with a goal of bringing resources directly to the people that need it.
RELATED: Stephen, Ayesha Curry host charity golf event in San Francisco for Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation
The goal of the Little Town Libraries is to further that push, making reading fun and accessible.
"These boxes, can hopefully make the access to literacy resources and service these kids in a fun way and accessible way," said Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation co-founder Stephen Curry. "Like Ayesha said 150 of these are going to go around Oakland and the right areas and locations. But that means 30,000 books at the hands of kids that need the inspiration, the tools to develop at the right ages and hopefully bring an amazing experience of fun to reading which is what it's all about."
The Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation Little Town Libraries are being selected by partners across the community including the Oakland Literacy Coalition, Oakland Public Library and Black Cultural Zone.
Dunking with Stephen Curry! Can you imagine what it felt like for these youngsters at Franklin Elementary today to meet the Warriors star? More tonight w/ Stephen & Ayesha at today's @eatlearnplay event as they install "Little Town Libraries" all over Oakland. #DubNation pic.twitter.com/tyc4iTiKR2
— Chris Alvarez (@CAlvarezABC7) March 31, 2022
Franklin Elementary has been a special spot for the Curry's, a renovated basketball court with help of the CarMax Foundation and Kaboom, artwork by the Illuminaries, as well as a garden. The unveiling of the Little Town Libraries represented a long-awaited return to in-person events.
This was fun. With the Currys as they unveil “Little Town Libraries” around Oakland. First one went in at Franklin Elementary. pic.twitter.com/yEcESjZGa9
— Casey Pratt (@CaseyPrattABC7) March 31, 2022
"Being back here in person, a little more energy and bringing these Little Town Libraries here, this being the first one, hopefully reflects our commitment to Oakland and our commitment to the next generation of kids and continuing to find ways to impact them and giving them the proper resources and fun, that's what it's about," said Stephen Curry.
