Power to the books: local nonprofit spreads literacy
By Ross Boissoneau
Sun contributor
An idea born in Suttons Bay has spread across the state. In just 10 years, Kara Gregory’s PoWeR! Book Bags program has grown from concept to some 130 sites in more than one third of Michigan’s counties. It has distributed more than 750,000 books and 120,000 PoWeR! Literacy Bags.
When Gregory moved to the area, she volunteered at the Salvation Army Center for a holiday meal. “I showed up with six kids. Nobody knew me,” Gregory recalls. When she asked how they could help, she was told they could set the table. That didn’t take long, and she then asked, “So now can we decorate?”
There was some scrap paper in a shoebox behind the desk with a sign that said, “Give to children while they wait.” So, Gregory and her kids went to work. “We made snowflakes, paper chains” and more, she says.
That night she had an epiphany. As a former teacher, professor and textbook author, she knew that a one-time event wouldn’t lead to any lasting change. “To change lives, you need to do things over and over and over,” she says.
That is a challenge for populations where children and families may have to move frequently. She came up with the idea of giving away books, and not just books but other creative tools, along with a bag to keep them in.
Thus was born PoWeR! Literacy Bags. PoWeR! stands for Play, Write, Read, all activities designed to elevate children’s language skills and literacy. The bags contain interactive materials such as finger puppets, crayons, writing booklets, and bookmarks, along with age-appropriate books.
The initial steps were a bit less sophisticated. “I was sewing these bags, and I don’t sew,” Gregory says with a laugh.
She says this was an inducement for others. When she approached people about helping and they would protest that they didn’t sew, she would show them her early efforts. The response: “Oh, I can do that.”
What those initial bags lacked in aesthetics they made up for in their contents and the impact they had. The organization initially purchased used books and cleaned them up so the children could feel they had something of their own that was valuable. Over time, the bagmakers became more skilled, and the organization gained enough funding to begin purchasing new books. Gregory, who has an extensive background in child development and early childhood education, including a Ph.D., says research shows that giving children new books rather than used ones gives them a sense of self-importance. “It feels like (they’re) first-class,” she says.
Today the bags only contain new books, but at events the volunteers take some of the many used books they have collected along with them. Children can get a new book and then pick from the used books as well. “Kids can choose their own book,” she says.
Gregory says there were many times, especially in the early years, when the program could have folded. But thanks to the perseverance of the organization’s many volunteers and continuing funding from a variety of sources, it has managed not only to survive, but to thrive. From its initial three sites, the Salvation Army, Immaculate Conception Church Food Pantry and Leelanau Christian Neighbors, it soon expanded beyond Leelanau and Grand Traverse Counties.
Today the PoWeR! Book Bags are available at numerous sites, including food and baby pantries, playgroups, preschools, childcare centers, schools, health departments and WIC distribution centers. Locally, other sites include Generations Ahead, Women’s Resource Center and the Children’s Advocacy Center.
“Wherever people are helping children,” says Gregory.
While most of the locations are in northern lower Michigan, there are now sites in Western and southeastern Michigan. “I didn’t expect Muskegon or Detroit. It just happened. They were persistent. I said no. They said yes.
“They said, ‘If we do all the work, can it happen?’ It was my old teaching partner.” So, she gave in.
It’s likely the organization isn’t done expanding. Gregory says there has been talk of adding locations in the Upper Peninsula. “Deliveries are the big thing. We have to brave the ugly roads of Michigan in the winter.”
Of course, with an organization as far-flung as PoWeR! Book Bags, not all the volunteers could make it to the 10th anniversary celebration. Still, Gregory says 35 people attended the celebration, which was for her a pleasant surprise. “I didn’t expect that many people. A lot of our volunteers are out of town,” she explains.
A few things have changed over that decade. “Now the bags are gorgeous,” Gregory says with a laugh. Beyond that, the organization has codified its programs into three main headings: Little Learners (programs for children prenatal-age 5), School Vacation Literacy Give-Aways, and Community Programs. Funding comes directly from donors, as noted on the organization’s website, and as a certified non-profit it is eligible for grants from numerous sources.
What hasn’t changed over the years is the program’s dedication to improving the lives of recipients.
“Our goals are to continue our work with our partners to share the joy of language and literacy with children and families while promoting interactions and connection,” says Gregory. “We are focusing this year and beyond on making our materials more impactful through added book interaction prompts, sample videos, and increased family engagement through play opportunities.”
