August 2003

Inspiration came from the local restaurant’s kids’ meal. More specifically, from the kids meal premium inside the bag…

Angie Miles is Reading Ambassador for the 3R (Richmond Region Reads) Campaign, sponsored by Youth Matters. One of her goals is to connect businesses to the campaign’s effort to promote literacy. And as a mother, an author of children’s books and a former award-winning journalist, Angie has a deep understanding of the importance of literacy. She’s always looking for businesses that share Youth Matter’s vision for a Richmond region where kids love books and enter school ready to learn, and all third graders read at grade level.

So when she took her kids for a meal at the local Chick-fil-A restaurant, she was impressed by the giveaways included with the kids’ meals. “Their corporate culture is based in part on supporting healthy families, education, and character building,” says Miles, whose Reading Ambassador post is funded in part by the City of Richmond. “And they always include something educational with their kids’ meals, little books, adaptations of classics, and the like. They aren’t just random toys.”

She approached Chick-fil-A about a partnership with the 3R Campaign, and the result is “Read to a Child”, a series of weekly story-time circles in which local celebrities and role models read aloud to children in a local Chick-fil-A restaurant. Each child is also given a book to take home. The events are held every Thursday from March to October 2003, and rotate among the area’s eight Chick-fil-A restaurants. The readers include local TV news broadcasters, politicians and firefighters. With promotional help from the local media, the series attracts 50-75 eager kids each week.

Chick-fil-A will donate 10 percent of all sales generated during the “Read to a Child” events to Youth Matters. These funds will support the 3R goal to have all Richmond Region third graders reading at grade level by 2010.

“We are delighted to join forces with Youth Matters in this unique literacy initiative, which is a perfect fit with Chick-fil-A’s strong commitment to educational programs,” says Jody Wetherill, area marketing director for Chick-fil-A. “Our corporate mission is to have a positive influence on all who come in contact with our company and these ‘Read to a Child’ sessions will significantly impact the reading proficiency of many children in the City of Richmond, Chesterfield County and Henrico County.”

Veronica Templeton, executive director of Youth Matters, noted that 22 percent of Richmond Region third graders currently are not reading at grade level, a statistic that has dropped from 32 percent a year ago. “When local businesses and community groups get involved with the 3R Campaign and its blueprint for reading success, the numbers will continue to decrease until our goal is achieved,” she says.

For dates and locations of “Read to a Child” events, click here. For more information on this website about Youth Matters, click here. For more articles on this website about reading by 3rd grade, click here.