When Kathy Lorentz recalls childhood memories of the story of Winnie the Pooh, she wants to pass on the gift of reading to the SIUC Head Start’s Book in Every Home Program.

Lorentz, coordinator of Student Development, said she is glad to help in picking up and organizing the donated books.

The fact that we are collecting the books is a help, she said. Every student in Head Start will have a book at home.

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SIUC’s Head Start and child development programs are having their third-annual Book in Every Home book drive until Nov. 21. The program’s intent is to give books to children enrolled in Head Start up to the fourth grade.

The program relies on the donations of children’s books from the local communities. The books collected are sorted and distributed by Head Start teachers to the children during the first week of December.

Cathy Reed, director of Head Start, said the program is one of the ways Head Start tries to increase parent-child interactions.

(The books) increase and support the family literacy, she said. Hopefully at home a parent will read the book to the child.

We believe that the parent is the first and most important teacher for the child. Providing a book in every home is one way that we show support and carry out that belief.

When the children are given the books, they are told about the need to read well.

(The children are told) the better reader that you are, the better career you will be able to have, Reed said.

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Donated books can be new or used, contain large and colorful pictures, and are to be at a 2- to 6-year-old reading level.

Boxes for donations are located in various places around campus including the Student Center, Health Services, Lesar Law Library and Morris Library.

Student volunteers help to pick up, organize and label the books.

The books are handed to children enrolled in all Head Start schools, including schools in Jackson, St. Clair and Williamson counties. Each child is given a book that has a book plate with his or her name to show who owns the book.

In years past, Head Start had collected and distributed more than 7,500 books and is hoping to receive 3,000 books to give to the children.

The SIUC Head Start program has been recognized nationally for the creation and success of the Book in Every Home Program.

Kids need to be able to read, Reed said. And we are providing the tool to do that with.