Service Learning can change a community

by Skip Sherwood
Professor Emeritus, Marketing
On Nov. 19, teams of Craig School of Business students enrolled in Marketing 100 (S) delivered an astounding total of over 30,000 books and $2,500 to the ReadFresno literacy program. Students selecting the ReadFresno Book Acquisition project for their service-learning assignment used a variety of marketing strategies to gather the new and used books, including book drives at businesses and schools as well as neighborhood and yard sale canvassing. While the target was K-3 reading level books, thousands of additional books appropriate for older children, as well as activity books and reference books were obtained. Students delivered the books to a storage area at the United Way of Fresno County in SUV’s, pickup trucks and even a U-Haul truck. 

ReadFresno is a community-wide literacy project whose goal is to have all children reading at grade level by third grade.  It acts as a resource for existing after-school programs targeting low-income and below reading level children.  One of these resources is books, which are given to participants to help them build their own home libraries.  Statistics show that as many as 60 percent of low-income homes have no books, while access to books is the most significant factor in generating a love for reading.  The significance of what the marketing students accomplished is reflected in the following comments from community leaders:

“If a book can change a life, then surely 30,000 books can start to change a whole community.”  Dr. Richard Kriegbaum, CEO, United Way of Fresno County.

“The GIFT of reading, realized in those 30,000 books and the volunteer readers who will use them and distribute them, will have an impact long after these Fresno State students have graduated." Don R. Simmons, Ph.D., Director, Community Engagement, One by One Leadership.

“The efforts by the marketing students will change the occupations of many of these kids from gang members and unemployed workers to college-bound individuals with apromising future.”  Kurt Madden, CEO, One By One Leadership.

“When I joined community leaders in August to announce the ReadFresno book drive, we set a goal of 10,000 books to be collected for the entire academic year.  Needless to say, we underestimated the enthusiasm for and commitment to the community that Fresno State students possess.”  Congressman George Radanovich, Mariposa.

This is the third semester students have participated in the ReadFresno book program. To date, more than 45,000 books have been gathered for redistribution to low-income children.