City of Joplin collecting literary items in support of community resource drive

(From the City of Joplin)

The One Joplin Literacy Team and Joplin Parents as Teachers (PAT) are hosting a Children’s Literacy Resource Drive during the month of May to support Kindergarten Bootcamp and future Joplin PAT home visits. Additionally, book donations will be distributed to area Blessing Boxes to support community literacy needs.

The City of Joplin is encouraging citizens to help with this cause and has placed a collection box located at Joplin City Hall, 602 South Main Street, to make drop-offs easy. The box is located at the entrance of the Human Resources office on the first floor, near the main lobby elevators.

Items on the wish list include new or gently used books for children or teens. Dry erase books that help children practice writing letters and numbers are also being requested. Various supplies would also be helpful, including crayons, washable markers, dry erase markers, watercolors, pinwheels, disinfectant wipes, stickers, rubber or plastic balls, shoestrings, wooden alphabet blocks, pencil grips, blank reward charts, flashcards, gold pencils, 24 – 50 piece puzzles.

Citizens can bring their items to City Hall and place them in the collection box during regular business hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The collection will run throughout the month of May.

One Joplin and PAT also encourage others to host a supply drive at their workplace, church, or civic group gathering. Just work with friends, family, and colleagues to collect donations, and drop them off at any collection site by May 31. They also said donations can also be purchased directly from Amazon and shipped to Joplin PAT.

This resource drive has been developed through community partners including One Joplin Adult Education & Literacy, Building Bridges, Economic Security Early Head Start, Jasper County Juvenile Center, Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce, Joplin Parents as Teachers, Joplin Public Library, Joplin Schools, NALA, and Youth Volunteer Corp.

For more information about this program contact Director@OneJoplin.com.