Naples –Books for Collier Kids (BCK), a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing a steady stream of new books to children in low-income families throughout Collier County, was awarded a $9,000 Angel Fund grant for the Kindergarten Project through the Community Foundation of Collier County.

“These funds help our Kindergarten Project to meet the educational needs of 398 children at five of Collier County’s 18 Title I elementary schools, helping us ensure each of these at-risk children receives a new book to read, treasure and keep once a month August through May,” explains BCK Chair Sallie Williams.

Awarded by the Angel Fund for Small Nonprofits of the Community Foundation of Collier County, the grant will be used to purchase the 10 new, age-appropriate titles the charity distributes to each disadvantaged child in five of Collier County’s Title I elementary schools in kindergarten classes during the academic year (10 books per child total).

Collier County Public Schools designate a school Title I when 75 percent or more of the students qualify for the free and/or reduced meal program due to their families’ income. “The Angel Fund grant goes a long way to meeting the ever-growing need,” continues Williams. “Due to the number of Title I schools in the county, we’re now providing 100,000 books to children in the greater Naples area each year.”

Books for Collier Kids provides new books to children in-need, addressing one of the most important factors affecting literacy: access to books. For more information please call Sallie Williams, Board Chair at 239.394.4062. To learn more about Books for Collier Kids, visit www.BooksforCollierKids.org.