The Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) offices in Beaverton, Hillsboro, and Tigard are set to receive a literary boost for their youngest visitors. A recent "book party" involving ODHS staff and community volunteers culminated in the preparation of 980 books for pre-Kindergarten children, an effort to promote early literacy and provide resources for families, as reported by the Oregon Department of Human Services. These books, donated by the Washington County Early Learning Hub, are specially stickered with information to guide parents and caregivers.
Staff members including Kaylie Camp and Aubrey Stark from Community Partnership Coordinators, and Callie Herzig, the Oregon Eligibility Supervisor, led the event alongside volunteers from Just Create Community. The books, adorned with new stickers and freshly housed in three bookcases, will not only grace the aforementioned ODHS offices but also will be made available through the ODHS Mobile Van, aiming to reach families across Washington County.
Angela Day, Operations and Policy Analyst for Self-Sufficiency and Child Welfare programs, coordinated the donation with the Washington County Early Learning Hub. She emphasized the importance of community engagement and the value of equipping families with literacy tools as a community service. Sandra Garcia Fresh, also an Operations and Policy Analyst for the programs, highlighted how books in diverse languages can create a welcoming environment and promote inclusivity. According to a statement made by the ODHS Newsroom, "The books create a more welcoming environment. Sometimes our offices all look the same. We have welcoming murals on the walls now, why not extend it to books. What’s better than having books available to read in your own language," Garcia Fresh said.
The language variety of the donated books is notable; they are available in Arabic, Simplified and Traditional Chinese, Pashto, Russian, Spanish, Somali, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese. This reflects the diverse community served by the ODHS in Washington County, and it specifically caters to the linguistic needs of the families visiting the offices. Herzig told the ODHS Newsroom, "By having books available in multiple languages, we are enhancing accessibility for more families in our community. Over the last year, we have taken steps to make our offices more family oriented and trauma informed, this is another way for us to do that and build relationships with the community members that we serve."
