Thanks to the generosity of the Wausau community, The UPS Store located at 4404 Rib Mountain Drive, Wausau raised funds for the Toys for Tots Literacy Program. One-hundred percent of the proceeds donated locally benefit children in Wausau and the surrounding communities.

Throughout Nov. and Dec. of 2018, the UPS Store offered customers the opportunity to purchase Toys for Tots Literacy Program donation cards. Every donation helps the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation buy a book for a deserving child.

“The community’s participation in the Toys for Tots Literacy Program was a key component to the success of this promotion,” said The UPS Store franchisee Donna Brandenburg. “This program provides us the unique opportunity to work with a nationally-recognized organization yet make an impact in our community, which is only possible because of thoughtful contributions from the people in the Wausau area.”

This is the third year that The UPS Store in Rib Mountain donated the books to The Boys and Girls Club of the Wausau Area. The UPS Store delivered the books on March 22, 2019. The center will continue additional fundraising activities throughout the year, including a coin box program for customers to donate their spare change. The UPS Store network is the exclusive sponsor of the Toys for Tots Literacy Program. Since launching the program in 2008, it has raised more than $4 million to help deliver nearly 40 million books to less-fortunate children across the country. For more information or to donate online, visit www.ToysForTotsLiteracy.org.

Children’s illiteracy remains an issue in the United States as disparities between socioeconomic groups persist. In America, a quarter of children  grow up without learning how to read and 47 percent  of fourth graders from low-income families read below the basic level. Additionally, there are gaps in access to books at home as the  Kids & Family Reading Report  from  Scholastic reported households with an income of $35,000 and under own an average of 69 children’s books, compared to 127 books in households with incomes higher than $100,000.