Preschoolers Gifted Thousands of Books from Grinspoon Charitable Foundation
AGAWAM — The Starlight Program, a signature book-gifting program of the Harold Grinspoon Charitable Foundation (HGCF), delivers more than 20,000 books each year to 70 preschools in eight Western Mass. communities, including Springfield, Chicopee, and Holyoke.
Mindful of their transformative power, philanthropist Harold Grinspoon wants every child to have access to books and develop a love of reading. “It’s my hope that an early love of reading will inspire a lifelong habit,” he said.
Children receive four high-quality books, delivered directly to preschools in fall and spring; the most recent selections were sent to schools in early November. Teachers typically read the books aloud and carry out creative activities. Then they present the books to each preschooler to bring home.
Commenting on the gifting moment, Literacy Coordinator Susan Kazeroid of West Springfield Public Schools said, “the excitement on the children’s faces was priceless.”
Gratified by Starlight’s success, the Grinspoon Foundation intends to maintain the model of giving four books a year by regularly securing large quantities of carefully reviewed titles from established publishers.
“We are grateful for the opportunity to get books into the littlest hands,” said Nikki Burnett, executive director of Educare in Springfield.
For Grinspoon, the dream of putting books into children’s hands goes far beyond Western Mass. He is the founder of the PJ Library, an award-winning, international program that gifts Jewish children’s books to more than 680,000 children and their families monthly in 37 countries.
