Wanting to work with the community to benefit children in our area, Iota Zeta
decided to give the classic children's book, Good Night Moon, in English or Spanish
to all parents of newborn babies in the Mendocino Coast District Hospital. Educational
research has shown that children read to on a continuing basis, beginning at the earliest
age, learn to love reading and become good readers themselves. Since inception in 2000,
and as of September 2007, Iota Zeta has delivered 1508 books to the hospital. Each book
is enclosed in a plastic bag with the reading research information and a note of
congratulations on the birth of their child.
This ongoing project has been funded by assessing members of Iota Zeta; grants from
Delta Kappa Gamma International, Chi State; Rotary International; and various fundraising events.
For the last three years we have held a Valentine Tea the weekend near Valentine's Day as
our Books for Babies fundraiser with matching funds from Thrivent Community
Outreach, a part of Lutheran Financial.
