Birch Family Services, Corporate Partners Kick Off Read Across America

Birch staff, families, board members, and volunteers from Lloyds Bank and Cooley LLP read their favorite Dr. Seuss books to students in honor of the beloved children’s writer’s birthday.

 

CooleyLloyds Bank

Birch Family Services staff, board members, and members of its Corporate Advisory Network took part in the National Education Association’s Read Across America Day, a nationwide reading celebration that takes place annually on March 2, Dr. Seuss’s birthday. Across the country, thousands of schools, libraries, and community centers participate by sharing Dr. Seuss classics with kids and teens.

Birch honored the day with events at its nine early education and school-age programs across New York City. For instance, at our Long Island City Early Childhood Center, which serves three- to five-year-old children with special education needs, volunteers from financial services company Lloyds Bank and global law firm Cooley LLP read their favorite Dr. Seuss books to students and participated in related themed activities and crafts.

“The opportunity to participate in Read Across America at Birch’s Long Island City Early Childhood Center was a rewarding personal experience that we won’t soon forget,” says Marie Stone, Communications Coordinator for Cooley. “We treasured our time spent in the classroom and are thankful to have witnessed first-hand how Birch provides invaluable support to families and individuals at the earliest stages of learning and development.”

“The opportunity to participate in Read Across America at Birch’s Long Island City Early Childhood Center was a rewarding personal experience that we won’t soon forget,” says Marie Stone, Communications Coordinator for Cooley. “We treasured our time spent in the classroom and are thankful to have witnessed first-hand how Birch provides invaluable support to families and individuals at the earliest stages of learning and development.”

“It was an extremely worthwhile and positive experience. It was great to be able to read to the kids and help out in their activities,” says Haojie Xu, Assistant Vice President, Money Markets at Lloyds Bank.  All members of staff were full of enthusiasm, not to mention the kids who had so much energy and were smiling all the time – it made me wish I was young again! Thanks to all the staff for organizing.”

Corporate Partnerships are an integral part of the success of Birch Family Services. In addition to participating in events at our schools, there are a variety of ways that corporations committed to social responsibility and recognizing disability as part of their diversity and inclusion efforts can get involved with us and have an impact. Our education and community support programs offer opportunities for corporations to become involved in literacy and community integration initiatives.

In addition, there are opportunities for corporations throughout New York City to leverage their expertise, network, and resources to significantly impact the lives of the young adult population of individuals with autism and developmental disabilities through internships, employment, and other corporate education.

For more information about the Corporate Advisory Network or other partnership opportunities, visit our Become a Corporate Partner page.

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