Love of learning is taught in early chapter
The women at the Wellspring Center in Oak Park chatter excitedly as they eat a hot breakfast.
Off in a corner, their children are getting a head start in life with the help of books.
At a small, kid-sized table, Charlene Carter is reading a book, "Fall Leaves Fall," to a small group of wide-eyed children. After they listen to the story, the kids try to draw pictures of leaves — just like the ones they learned about in the book.
It's a typical tutoring session run by River City RoadRunner Inc., a nonprofit dedicated to providing educational outreach for low-income children.
"We're trying to give them different stimulation and letting them learn in a natural environment," said Carter, RoadRunner Inc. founder.
The group is so named because its tutors, like roadrunners, move from site to site, providing children with reading materials and lessons in different poor neighborhoods.
Lugging plastic containers filled with books, crayons, paper and other educational tools, RoadRunner tutors set up shop in places such as already-existing afterschool programs or community centers and offer free reading tutoring.
Rodger Stein, cochairman of RoadRunner Inc., said the group is trying to teach children the importance of reading while giving them the tools to become successful.
"If you can read, you can go just about anywhere in the world," Stein said.
The RoadRunner Inc. program needs new educational tools such as books, craft supplies and children's educational software. They have asked Book of Dreams readers to help them purchase those items.
RoadRunner Inc. focuses on three area low-income neighborhoods — Del Paso Heights, Meadowview and Oak Park. The nonprofit was started a few years ago with a grant from the city of Sacramento's Gifts to Share program.
Julie Adams, development director for WellSpring, said she is pleased to have the program in Oak Park.
"Anywhere we can catch them and help them get ready for kindergarten is a huge plus," Adams said.