United Way book drive

ZANESVILLE, Ohio-  The United Way of Muskingum, Perry, and Morgan counties is working to get books in the hands of young children.

Partnering with the Zanesville-Muskingum County Health Department the organization is holding a book drive through the month of June. Community impact director for the United Way said they are looking for donations of board books and early readers.

“The title of the program is called ‘Building Brains with Board books’ and so we’ll be helping these children gain access to early literacy and that will be through their appointments with those early childhood programs,” said Becky Clawson of the United Way.

Heather Rice, a Program Coordinator at the Health Department, said it’s important to get kids into books at a young age.

“Children are always excited to have something to hold in their hands and to play with,” said Rice. “Some families don’t understand the importance of literacy at this young age because those kids can’t read yet, but what those kids are getting is: they’re bonding with their parent or their caregiver that is reading.”

The book drive will begin June first and run until the end of the month. Donations can be dropped off at the United Way, the Public Health Department, and other locations around the county.

Drop off locations:

Help Me Grow and WIC

Muskingum County Library Systems (all locations)

Walls of Books

Woodforest Bank (Walmart North and South locations)