For five years, WineDirect has proudly supported Worldreader, a global non-profit organization committed to solving the problem of illiteracy. Today, we are thrilled to be partnering with Worldreader to expand access to digital books during Covid-19 schooling disruptions as we work to ensure children in the U.S. can keep reading and learning.
Through this new partnership, our team, our clients and their families will have access to high-quality children’s books in both English and Spanish. The WineDirect team is proud to be sponsoring the Spanish collection, and we hope our clients will take advantage of both libraries at home with their children.
To start reading, download the BookSmart app in the Google Play store for free.
Parents across the country, including in the wine industry, have felt the disruptions to schooling as a result of Covid-19. In the late spring, school closures impacted 55.1 million students in 124,000 U.S. schools. Currently, depending on the state and district, schools may be open and holding in-person classes or remain closed while teaching students remotely.
Among many other challenges we are facing in 2020 as an industry, work and school conditions remain fluid for wine professionals and their children alike. One simple and proactive way parents can support their children during these times is to read with them.
Consistent reading of 15 minutes per day supports literacy skills development, introduces new subjects, gives children a chance to explore other cultures, and provides bonding opportunities during stressful times. And, reading can help mitigate the learning loss inherent in school disruptions.
But many parents lack extensive libraries at home. At the same time, public and school libraries are closed or have reduced hours due to social distancing measures.
Worldreader has addressed this need by offering books through the BookSmart app, available on the mobile phones or tablets that families already own - no new hardware is required and the app is free to families. BookSmart is optimized for all connection speeds, keeps data costs low, and works on even basic phones and tablets.
Through this partnership, WineDirect is proud to support children across the U.S. during these challenging times. When so much is beyond our control, one thing parents and caregivers can do is read with their children each day.
Learn more about how WineDirect is giving back to our local and global communities.
