Chamber seeks donations for ‘dinner and a book’

As New Mexico schools return to the classroom, a Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce Leadership Albuquerque team is raising awareness and funding to purchase meals and books for Albuquerque Public Schools Title I kindergarten and first grade students.

The “Dinner and a Book” initiative with ABQ Reads and Hand Up ABQ is designed to help students get back to learning, while also providing a warm meal from local restaurants to the students and their families. The ABQ Reads program partners with APS to serve 242 students at Atrisco, Whittier and Bel-Air elementary schools. Each of the three weekly sessions is 30 minutes and structured to reinforce what is being taught in the classroom while also meeting the specific needs of each student.

Donations are needed from community businesses, organizations and individuals to fund the purchase of gift cards to local restaurants for student dinners. The gift cards, along with two books and a backpack from Comcast, will be given to each participating student. The list of current donors include Comcast, Garcia’s Kitchen, Dion’s Pizza, Sports Systems, Hand Up ABQ, Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce, and Western Sky Community Care.

The GACC leadership team urges other community businesses and leaders to contribute to this campaign and lend additional support to APS Title I students and their families. There are two ways to donate:

■ Purchase a pack of restaurant gift cards from Sports Systems’ Hand Up ABQ program in increments of $50 by visiting https://www.nmsportsystems. com/product/sport-systems-abq-handupsponsorship-level-6892.htm. Donors should put “Dinner and a Book” in the comments section.

■ Donate to Albuquerque Reads at https://albuquerque-reads-careerguidance-institute-cgi.secured.atpay. com.

For more information, email DinnerandabookABQ@gmail.com.