Give back to your young community through the Everybody Wins! Power Lunch Program

Everybody Wins! Power Lunch Program is a non-profit program in which volunteers from local businesses use their lunch break to read one-on-one to a child in Grades 2-5 at the Kennedy School. ~Photo courtesy of Darcy Madden By Hillary Coughlin Reading to a child is one of the best gifts you can give them. If you find yourself looking for an opportunity to give back to the young community of Somerville, there is a local program that combines giving back and promoting education. The Everybody Wins! Power Lunch Program is a non-profit program in which volunteers from local businesses use their lunch break to read one-on-one to a child in Grades 2-5 at the Kennedy School. The program was started in Somerville in 2002 and is only one of the 14 schools in 8 cities in Massachusetts to implement the program, including communities such as Billerica, Waltham, and Everett. Everybody Wins! Power Lunch Program was first created by New York business executive Arthur Tannenbaum, after he heard that reading to a child is the most important factor in their being able to successfully read on their own. Since Tannenbaum's launch of the program it has taken off and is now a nationally recognized program. As for the impact of the program on young students, the results speak for themselves. The program has its own system of gauging its effectiveness. The teachers at the participating schools survey the children at both the beginning and at the end of the program to compare results. These surveys have shown a 90% increase in children's attitude towards reading, their reading skills, and their articulation and self-esteem regarding reading. Barefoot Books is one of the local businesses that has employees that are volunteers for the program. Sarah Spencer, International Rights and Sales Manager for Barefoot Books said, "It's empowering for the children and so important to their future and those of the communities in which they live." The success of the program can be credited to the fact that it has a personal element to it. "The one-on-one factor is what makes the program so unique. Some volunteers have worked with the same student for as long as 6 years and they build very strong relationships," says Darcy Madden, the Executive Director of the Somerville program. Some of these dedicated companies who have employees that volunteer their time are Gentle Giant Moving Company, TJX Companies, Caldwell Bank, and CDC. Reading to a child not only enriches a child's life, it is also good for morale in the work place and is a fulfilling way to spend time as a volunteer. Donna Callahan, Recreation Supervisor from the City of Somerville Recreation Commission, described her experience as, "Knowing that I can in some small way impact the life of this student. Her classroom teachers have been so complimentary of me, our relationship, and the importance of having this type of program for all the students that are involved. I am humbled to be part of the Program's success at the Kennedy School." If you or anyone you know may want to become an Everybody Wins! Power Lunch Program volunteer please contact the Executive Director Darcy Madden at darcy.madden@ewmb.org. To get more information regarding the program at both the local and national level visit www.ewmb.org.