From left: Paul Robbins, DO; Anne Hedin, Lit Wit book club member, Jennifer Janocha, PA; Sarah Gilbert, director of fundraising for The Waterfront Foundation pose
with books in English and Spanish offered through Read to Me TCC

A local book club has made a donation to The Chautauqua Center to purchase new books for its pediatric patients.

The Lit Wits book club made a financial donation to the Waterfront Foundation to purchase the books for the Read To Me TCC program.

Read to Me TCC was started by The Waterfront Foundation in 2021 to promote reading and allow The Chautauqua Center to provide an extra level of support to pediatric patients.

The connection between reading and health care is not very well known, however the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends providing books to children as an essential aspect of well childcare.
Recent research shows reading failure disproportionately affects children from socially and economically disadvantaged families and contributes to continuing the cycle of poverty.

Children receive one new book at each well visit – which occurs more frequently for younger patients. From age 0 to 5, patients receive a total of ten books. After that, children receive books on an annual basis. The books are available in English and Spanish.

For more information, visit tcchealth.org.

The Chautauqua Center

Volunteers helped assemble the backpacks filled with school supplies that will be given away at TCC’s Community Picnic Events as well as for every school district in the county.

The TCC Community Picnics will be held 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Monday, August 8 in Dunkirk at the Salvation Army located at 704 Central Avenue. The Jamestown picnic will be held 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Tuesday, August 9 at Jackson-Taylor Park on Washington Street.

The free picnic events have been rebranded this year with an emphasis on healthy eating and active lifestyle. They will include food, music, bounce houses, and children’s games. New this year is the addition of the Jamestown Public Market’s Mobile Market that will offer free produce to attendees as well as food demos by Cornell Cooperative Extension, recipes, and information on SNAP and Double Up Food Bucks promotions that make eating fresh foods more affordable.

TCC also will provide free health screenings and education, and onsite clinical providers including pediatricians and nutritionists who can help answer questions for parents about healthy eating and preventative care.

To receive a backpack, students must have a family member or caregiver over the age of 18 present. All ages are welcome to attend the community event and take advantage of the education and giveaways available to all.