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Local Boys & Girls Club Receives Allen Robinson's Inaugural 'Reach for a Book' Room
Posted By:
Austin Alley
Tuesday, May 7, 2019
CHICAGO (MAY
7, 2019) – On
Monday afternoon, May 6, Chicago Bears’ Wide Receiver Allen Robinson paid the
students at the Linda & Bill Gantz Boys & Girls Club a visit to unveil
his foundation’s inaugural ‘Reach for a Book’ reading room. The newest
community outreach program of Robinson’s Within Reach Foundation, ‘Reach for a
Book’ reading rooms are sports-themed reading oases built within Chicago-area
community centers that provide students with access to hundreds of
age-appropriate reading materials. The ‘Reach for a Book’ room opened on Monday
features comfortable beanbag chairs, extensive shelving, several e-readers,
magazines, board games and a few hundred new books.
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Students
at the Gantz Boys & Girls Club enthusiastically greeted Robinson with a
high-five line as he entered the ‘Reach for a Book’ room, indicating their
excitement to have a local sports icon visiting their school. Robinson
reciprocated the excitement by spending the afternoon reading one of his
favorite children’s books to the students in attendance. He and Kenzie K of B96
Chicago, who served as the program’s emcee, also spoke at length about the
importance of literacy and education.
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The
Gantz Boys & Girls Club ‘Reach for a Book’ room was largely funded through
proceeds from Robinson’s ‘An Evening Within Reach’ fundraising event in
December, including a presenting sponsorship from Jewel-Osco. Anthony Suggs,
Vice President for Marketing & Merchandising for Jewel-Osco, joined Robinson,
Boys & Girls Club Director Marco DeLarosa and Boys & Girls Clubs of
Chicago President & CEO Mimi LeClair for a ribbon-cutting ceremony,
officially opening the inaugural ‘Reach for a Book’ reading room. The hundreds
of local students regularly served by the facility will have access to the
fully-stocked bookshelves, which feature books that appeal to all ages,
interests, and reading capabilities.
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Monday’s
unveiling marks the first education-focused outreach programming performed by
Allen Robinson’s Within Reach Foundation since its transition to Chicago. While
in Jacksonville, the foundation held annual back-to-school programs, providing
students with new backpacks filled with classroom supplies. These new ‘Reach
for a Book’ reading rooms will allow the Within Reach Foundation to enrich the academic experience of thousands of
Chicago’s most in-need students, helping to foster a love of reading at a key a
time in these students' development.
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Founded in 2015, Allen Robinson’s Within Reach
Foundation is the personal charity of Bears Wide Receiver Allen Robinson. The
mission of Allen Robinson’s Within Reach Foundation is to provide educational
opportunities and resources to low-income and inner-city Chicago-area students
to help put success within their reach.
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Blog Categories
Allen Robinson Blog
03/24/2020 - Allen Robinson to Host Hunger
01/02/2020 - NFL Foundation Awards $5,000 S
05/07/2019 - Local Boys & Girls Club Receiv
12/13/2018 - Allen Robinson Raises More tha
12/05/2018 - Bears Receiver Allen Robinson
07/11/2018 - Within Reach Foundation Awarde
12/14/2017 - Receiver Allen Robinson Holds
10/04/2017 - Local Boys & Girls Club Receiv
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