First "Because of You" Program Underway in Washington, D.C.
"Because of You!" pairs youth groups and senior citizens in Washington, D.C.February 3, 2005
A major subplot of Because of Winn-Dixie involves the book's young heroine Opal, taking time to read to a senior who lives in her community. "Because of You!" is a reading program that encourages children to volunteer and read with senior citizens in their community. For this pilot program, Walden Media has partnered with the National Collaboration for Youth (NCY), Sunrise Senior Living and the Heartland Film Festival.
"Because of You!" is a direct response to the 2004 National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Reading at Risk report, which describes a steep and rapid decline in literary reading among the young and seniors in America, as well as a corollary decline in volunteerism in the country.
The pilot version of the program is already underway with young volunteers reading Because of Winn-Dixie at Sunrise Senior Living centers in the Washington D.C. area. Participants include Girl Scout Troops from Fairfax, VA; Camp Fire USA youth from Virginia; students from Merritt Academy in Fairfax, VA; Girls, Inc. Kid Reporters Olivia Montgomery and Christina Thompson from Hagerstown, MD; and residents from Sunrise Senior Living centers.
A special screening of the film was held for all program participants on Saturday, February 5 at the Ballston Common Stadium 12, Arlington, VA. As one Sunrise senior noted after the screening, "Seeing kids and their parents enjoy the same movie with us and laugh and cry during the same scenes was touching."
This screening will be replicated by screenings for 10,000 reading teachers and librarians nationwide on February 5 and February 12. In partnership with Walden Media and NCY, Sunrise Senior Living plans to roll out the program to its more than 370 locations nationwide.
"Intergenerational programs such as 'Because of You!' offer poignant activities for seniors and children to share and discuss." said Carol Edelstein, vice president for Program Development at Sunrise Senior Living. "Because of Winn-Dixie is a timely story that exemplifies many of the wonderful friendships we've seen develop between seniors and children."
