Coats keep preschoolers warm
Toni Ellis slipped into her new green coat with pink-flowered lining and her face glowed with a beautiful smile.
"It's pretty," the 4-year-old said of the winter coat that had been delivered to her preschool in one of four big boxes.
Most of a recent morning at the Playmate Child Development Center in Oak Park was spent fitting the young children with the new winter coats that had been purchased by Book of Dreams readers.
The children stood in line and waited as adults pulled new coats from the boxes and tried coats of various sizes and colors on each child.
"It's a true blessing because kids are definitely in need of winter coats during the winter months and without people like the Book of Dreams readers, this couldn't be possible," said Edenausegboye Davis, executive director of the Playmate Child Development Center.
The Head Start program in Oak Park provides preschool to low-income families, many of whom struggle to provide necessities such as coats for their children.
The Women's Civic Improvement Club operates the center, which is a valuable resource to the community, providing pre-reading and social skills - and a safe environment for area children.
