"Studies show that having access to a wide variety of reading materials is essential if a child is to develop into a strong reader. We’re thrilled to have Target join us in helping young children develop literacy skills," says Evans.

The grant is part of the ongoing support Target provides to local communities throughout the country. Every week Target gives more than $2 million to strengthen families and communities across the nation, with a focus on education, the arts, social services and other vital community partnerships.

"At Target, we are making a real difference every day through our sponsorship program," said Laysha Ward, vice president, community relations, Target. "We’re proud to partner with Putnam City’s Parents as Teachers program as part of our ongoing commitment to give back to the communities where our guests and team members live and work."

• Studies show that having access to a wide variety of reading materials is essential if a child is to develop into a strong reader. In fact, the only behavioral measure that correlates significantly with reading scores is the number of books in the home.
• Children who are read to frequently are nearly twice as likely as other children to show three or more skills associated with emerging literacy.
• The more types of reading materials there are in the home, the higher students are in reading proficiency.
• Students who do more reading at home are better readers and have higher math scores.

Source: First Book, a national non-profit organization focusing on early childhood literacy