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TheMesaTribune.com | @EVTNow /EVTNow
Mesa group aims to get kids to read more
BY MARK MORAN Tribune Staff Writer
Keep an eye for the “Page Coach” traversing Mesa streets during the months of August and September. Mesa-based Kids Need to Read – a national organization – is celebrating 15 years of literacy for children in communities everywhere. The “Page Coach,” a takeoff on the oldwest stagecoach, is a cargo van outfitted with a flashy vinyl wrap. “Starting from a small group project in 2007 and growing into a national nonprofit literacy organization that serves over 100,000 children, Kids Need to Read has only had one goal,” said Executive Director Jessica Payne. “Helping children discover the joy of reading and the power of a literate mind by providing inspiring books and literacy programs to underfunded schools, libraries, and community agencies across the United States, especially those serving disadvantaged children.” That amounts to about a million dollars’ worth of mostly author-donated books getting into the hands of schools, at-risk kids and teachers annually. And it’s done 3,000 books at a time by the “Page Coach.” “We’ve been able to bring classroom libraries to the teachers and also have book giveaways to students themselves so that they can start building their own home libraries,” Payne said.
While schools were shut down during the pandemic, Payne says, Kids Need to Read went into overdrive. The need didn’t subside, but children were now doing a lot of it self-directed and she saw it as her charge to keeps those books in the hands of people who would use them. ”The pandemic actually helped to encourage growth and flexibility,” Payne said. “We did a lot of deliveries when we were really shut down. “Teachers and schools in general have just been wonderful about finding new and different ways to get books to kids. Even when they couldn’t actually, physically, have them in the classroom.” Of the group’s $1.38 million budget that comprises grants and donations from authors and others, 95% fund the program’s three main initiatives: “Grow Your library,” “From Our Shelves to Yours,” and “The Page Coach.” “We’d do these things I called Page Coach Marathons, where I would just stop at several schools, fill up our Page Coach, which can hold about 3,000 books, and stop at several schools during the day and drop the books off,” she said. Kids Need to Read’s goal is to empower and embolden every child through a culture of reading.
Mesa-based Kids Need to Read uses members and a brightly wrapped van deliver its message. (Special to
the Tribune)
see READING page 16
Longtime nonprofit offers after-school help in Mesa
TRIBUNE NEWS STAFF
AChandler nonprofit that has served kids with free after-school programs has set up shop in Mesa to help local children and teens. With an eye toward helping 150 kids, ICAN opened at Longfellow Elementary School, 345 S. Hall St. and Adams Elementary School, 738 S. Longmore. "The pandemic brought to light the critical importance of accessible childcare - a service that is essential for the economic mobility of families in our community,” said ICAN CEO Shelby Pedersen. “Our board of directors identified Mesa as our next location because 17 percent of youth in Mesa schools live in poverty and 22 schools within the district have 75 percent of students qualifying for free and reduced lunch, she explained. “Due to the success of the Chandler sites, and the dire need for free programs like ICAN in other communities, we know we’ll make a positive impact on the youth and families in Mesa.” The new sites offer an holistic approach to helping youth from vulnerable backgrounds to prevent and overcome life challenges and prepare for healthy transitions to adulthood. The program utilizes the “5 C’s of Positive Youth Development,” a nationallyseeICAN page 16
ICAN has been providing needy families in Chandler with free after-school programs
For many of the children it serves, the program represents a crucial link to a strong literacy education, and its programs help build and nurture support systems for the development of literate minds.
“By immersing children in an integrated
How you can get involved
When: 4:30-6:30 p.m. Aug. 18 Where: Mesa Arts Center, One East Main St., Mesa What: Educator Appreciation and Preview Night
When: 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Aug. 20. Where: EOS Fitness, 1840 E. Warner Road, Tempe. What: Sample event of kid-friendly classes to help bring awareness book donations for Kids Need to Read. Open to the public 12 and older. The classes will be 15 minutes long and will be on a one-hour rotation. Though free, people are asked to donate a book. Kids Need to Read and EOS Fitness will be putting together three raffles world of literary experiences that teaches them, firsthand, the impact of reading on every aspect of life, imagination is ignited and confidence is built for a prosperous future, regardless of race, economic status, or personal capabilities,” said Payne, who taught high school for 15 years.
“We keep growing. We keep getting more books to make literacy equitable.”
of family books and swag. The cost to enter the raffle is one book. The raffle will only be held during the event but they do not need to be present to win.
When: 2-4 p.m. Sept. 3 Where: Mesa Public Library, 64 E. 1st St., Mesa. What: Come help build reading buddies and reading buddy kits for Kids Need to Read. Volunteers from age 12 and up are needed. All sewing skill levels welcome. Space is limited, so reserve a spot by emailing Info@kidsneedtoread.org Cost: Free. Donations of Poly-fil and washable fabric are welcomed but not required.
recognized youth engagement model that focuses on “building and nurturing all a child’s beliefs, behaviors, knowledge, attributes and skills. The 5 C’s include: connection, confidence, character, competence and contribution.
Youth attend programs Monday – Friday afterschool until 6 p.m. Program activities include STEAM, academic support, literacy skill building, sport and recreation, and all youth receive a healthy snack and dinner daily.
“We expect all sites to continue growing in enrollment to serve 80-100 youth per site within the next two years,” added Pedersen.
ICAN’s expansion into Mesa is made possible in part by a catalytic $100,000 grant from Bank of America, as part of the company’s ongoing efforts to advance racial equality and economic opportunity by building pathways to education.
The funding builds on Bank of America’s recent $1.65 million in grants to Arizona State University and Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation and to increase student success in degree and certifica-
THE MESA TRIBUNE | AUGUST 14, 2022 tion completion among students of color.
“Access to high-quality, affordable childcare is a game changer in terms of creating more positive educational and economic outcomes for under-resourced families,” said Benito Almaza, Arizona president for Bank of America.
“ICAN programming and services impact multiple generations within a household, which ultimately constructs more widespread economic mobility and strengthens our Valley economy as a whole.” The nonprofit provided some stark statistics: 86% of students at Mesa Longfellow tested “not proficient” in English Language Arts and 94% in math in 2021; 83% of students at Mesa Adams tested “not proficient” in ELA and 91% in math in 2021. 20% of students in Mesa District attend a Title I school;
The average cost for an afterschool program in the U.S. is $6,500 per year, per child, which can be a tremendous burden on a family living in poverty.
To learn more about becoming a corporate sponsor or donor for the new Mesa locations, contact Katie String-
ham at katie@icanaz.org
*this is a paid advertisement* WARNING!
Mesa, AZ – When it comes to chronic pain and/ or neuropathy, the most common doctor-prescribed treatment is drugs like Gabapentin, Lyrica, Cymbalta, and Neurontin. The problem with antidepressants or anti-seizure medications like these is that they offer purely symptomatic relief, as opposed to targeting and treating the root of the problem. Worse, these drugs often trigger an onset of uncomfortable, painful, and sometimes harmful side effects.
The only way to effectively treat chronic pain and/or peripheral neuropathy is by targeting the source, which is the result of nerve damage owing to inadequate blood flow to the nerves in the hands and feet. This often causes weakness, numbness, tingling, pain, and balance problems. A lack of nutrients causes the nerves to degenerate – an insidious and often painful process.
As displayed in figure 1 above, the nerves are surrounded by diseased, withered blood vessels. A lack of sufficient nutrients means the nerves cannot survive, and thus, slowly die. This leads to those painful and frustrating consequences we were talking about earlier, like weakness, numbness, tingling, balance issues, and perhaps even a burning sensation.
The drugs your doctor might prescribe will temporarily conceal the problems, putting a “Band-Aid” over a situation that will only continue to deteriorate without further action.
Thankfully, Mesa is the birthplace of a brandnew facility that sheds new light on this pressing problem of peripheral neuropathy and chronic pain. The company is trailblazing the medical industry by replacing outdated drugs and symptomatic reprieves with an advanced machine that targets the root of the problem at hand.
Effective neuropathy treatment relies on the following three factors: 1. Finding the underlying cause 2. Determining the extent of the nerve damage (above 95% nerve loss is rarely treatable) 3. The amount of treatment required for the patient’s unique condition
Aspen Medical in Mesa, AZ uses a state-of-the-art electric cell signaling systems worth $100,000.00. This ground-breaking treatment is engineered to achieve the following, accompanied by advanced diagnostics and a basic skin biopsy to accurately analyze results: 1. Increases blood flow 2. Stimulates and strengthens small fiber nerves 3. Improves brain-based pain
The treatment works by delivering energy to the affected area(s) at varying wavelengths, from low- to middle-frequency signals, while also using Amplitude Modulated (AM) and Frequency Modulated (FM) signaling. Aspen Medical will be offering this free chronic pain and neuropathy severity evaluation will be available until October 31st, 2022. Call (480) 274-3157 to make an appointment.
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We are extremely busy, so we are unavailable, please leave a voice message and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
Aspen Medical 4540 E. Baseline Rd., Suite 119 Mesa, AZ, 85206
Depending on your coverage, your peripheral neuropathy treatment could cost almost nothing – or be absolutely free. The number of treatments required varies from patient to patient, and can only be determined following an in-depth neurological and vascular examination. As long as you have less than 95% nerve damage, there is hope!
Aspen Medical begins by analyzing the extent of the nerve damage – a complimentary service for your friends and family. Each exam comprises a detailed sensory evaluation, extensive peripheral vascular testing, and comprehensive analysis of neuropathy findings.
*(480) 274-3157* 480-274-3157
4540 E Baseline Rd., Suite 119 Mesa Az 85206
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