Since 1980, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, Epsilon Epsilon Omega Chapter has provided low-income children with thousands of books. The Reading is Fundamental (RIF) Project started as a summer project to encourage children to read during the summer months.
One year before, Soror Patricia McKinney Lewis wrote the project proposal for RIF. After approval by the National RIF committee the grant was funded, also with supplying matching funds. During the first year, the Chapter committee distributed books at three Champaign Park District summer camps: Centennial, Spalding and Douglass. The second year, permission was granted to change the distribution sites to: Douglass Center Day Camp, Douglass Branch Library, Girls’ Club in Urbana and Boys’ Club in Champaign. After Girls’ Club closed, and the Douglass Branch Library moved, the sites for many years were the Don Moyer Boys and Girls Club, Douglass Day Camp, Mount Olive Baptist church and St. Luke CME Church. In recent years, book distributions and read-ins have been held at the Laura Lee Fellowship House in Danville and at Canaan Baptist Church in Urbana.
Special distributions, such as the ones held in conjunction with National African American Read-In Day were held at the Boys and Girls Club.
One year before, Soror Patricia McKinney Lewis wrote the project proposal for RIF. After approval by the National RIF committee the grant was funded, also with supplying matching funds. During the first year, the Chapter committee distributed books at three Champaign Park District summer camps: Centennial, Spalding and Douglass. The second year, permission was granted to change the distribution sites to: Douglass Center Day Camp, Douglass Branch Library, Girls’ Club in Urbana and Boys’ Club in Champaign. After Girls’ Club closed, and the Douglass Branch Library moved, the sites for many years were the Don Moyer Boys and Girls Club, Douglass Day Camp, Mount Olive Baptist church and St. Luke CME Church. In recent years, book distributions and read-ins have been held at the Laura Lee Fellowship House in Danville and at Canaan Baptist Church in Urbana.
Special distributions, such as the ones held in conjunction with National African American Read-In Day were held at the Boys and Girls Club.
Click the thumbnails below to view photos from our RIF 35th Anniversary celebration and service project!
