FREE Downloadable Classroom Poverty Kit: Understanding Poverty in America
Multicultural Children’s Book Day
Classroom Poverty Kit 2019
Poverty Doesn’t Discriminate | Understanding Poverty in America
Is ready for download!
As our sixth Multicultural Children’s Book Day holiday approaches on January 25, 2019, we are thrilled to have you as part of our amazing community of supporters! With enthusiasm, optimism, and hope, we are preparing for MCBD 2019 and hope you will, again, join our celebration of diversity through children’s books.
We are fortunate to live in a country that is a melting pot of diversity and land of opportunity. But not all those living in The Land of the Free have what they need for basic everyday living.
Current estimates in the U.S. show that the official poverty rate is somewhere around 12.7 percent, based on the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2016 estimates. That year, an estimated 43.1 million Americans lived in poverty according to the official measure.
“People come into the United States from all over the world to find freedom and to uncover enough wealth to raise their families. Many come from poor regions where they believe that the country doesn’t struggle with poverty. As one of the world’s wealthiest nations, this is simply a fallacy. And the numbers can attest to the fact that poverty is a pervasive problem America, but we don’t like to admit it. We would like to think that the poor only dwell in third-world countries, but there is no denying it, poverty is a pervasive quandary in America.”
Source: http://www.beliefnet.com/news/articles/7-facts-on-poverty-in-america.aspx#XeGtZ0e8CvWay7pd.99
But what does that mean? The official definition of poverty is “a condition where people’s basic needs for food, clothing, and shelter are not being met.” Poverty rates are highest for families headed by single women, particularly if they are black or Hispanic according to the National Poverty Center. Most of these women have children and without additional income from a spouse, are at a greater risk of poverty.
Now let’s think about what that means, feels like, and looks like through the eyes of a child. Not having enough to eat or seeing their parent(s) struggle to pay bills creates stress and trauma in a child that feels powerless to help.
How about children who don’t live in homes touched by poverty? What does poverty look like to them? How can educators, parents, and caregivers help the next generation of leaders understand and empathize with a growing issue that is likely affecting someone close to them?
This Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2018 Poverty Classroom Kit is filled with books, activities, discussion questions, resources, and a free classroom poster to help students understand that Poverty Doesn’t Discriminate.
About The Poster Illustrator
Mehrdokht Amini is an Iranian-British children’s book illustrator living in England. She graduated with a degree in Graphic Design from Tehran University and has worked as an illustrator for both educational and mainstream publishers ever since.
She started her career in Iran while still studying at university, working on various projects for children’s magazines and books. After moving to England in 2004 she continued working with publishers all around the world.
Mehrdokht loves working with publishers who are interested in cultural diversity because it gives her an excellent opportunity to undertake a close study of different cultures and communities, gain a better understanding of those cultures and appreciate people of different backgrounds to her own.
A HUGE “Thank You!” to Mehrdokht Amini for creating the poster for this years’ kit.
Click HERE to download your
FREE Classroom Poverty Kit 2019: Poverty Doesn’t Discriminate | Understanding Poverty in America
Our FREE Classroom Poverty Kit contains:
~27 Classroom Books that will help Readers Understand Poverty in America for ages 4 -12
~ Two Classroom or home Activities
~ “Poverty Doesn’t Discriminate” Classroom Poster thanks to the talents of award-winning illustrator, Mehrdokht Amini
~Helpful Poverty Talking Points for Teachers
~Links, resources and services available to under-served families in the U.S.A
Thank you for cultivating understanding, kindness, inclusion, and exploration of this beautiful world in your classroom.
Pass the Word! Sponsorships for Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2019 are now OPEN!
Medallion and Author level Sponsorships for MCBD 2019 are OPEN!
Celebrating Diversity in Children’s Literature
The 6th annual Multicultural Children’s Book Day is coming January 25, 2019
#READYOURWORLD
Our mission is to not only raise awareness for the kid’s books that celebrate diversity but to also get more of these of books into classrooms and libraries.
“I’m excited for this, last year I had great results with promotions after participating. It also made me feel much closer to the kidlit community and introduced me to great bloggers.
Thanks for opening up the event to all publishers.”~Author Elsa Takakoka
Click HERE
to download the 2019 MCBD Sponsorship Packet that outlines the benefits/perks of each level.
GO HERE to learn more about SPONSORSHIP LEVELS for MCBD 2019
Joanne
September 18, 2018 12:14 pmHello!
I am a lucky school librarian in district that does provide a budget for books.
I love the work you do and would like to order the kit but i do not want to take precious resources from districts who have a greater need for free books. However, since “poverty doesn’t discriminate” it is still an important converstation for us and we would welcome the kit and at least a list of books if you find yourself short of free ones (or the other resources in the kit.) Thanks so much for the work you do!
Rebecca Flansburg
September 18, 2018 12:42 pmGreetings! And thank you for your kind words 🙂 The Poverty Kit is completely free and contains book titles suggestions along with poverty-related activities. For those teachers and classrooms who would like a free book from MCBD, they just need to sign up here. Thank you again! https://readyourworld.org/our-programs/freebooksforteachers/