(NewsUSA) - The Marine Toys for Tots Literacy Program announces a new literacy initiative, “Operation Turn the Page,” that will equip children across the United States with the tools they need to break the cycle of poverty.

Millions of children across the Nation are gearing up to head back to school in August. However, going back to school can look vastly different for students and families who face economic hardships every single day. In many low-income neighborhoods, there is just one age-appropriate book for every 300 children, and one in four American children reach adulthood without learning how to read.

“It’s a sad fact that over 60 percent of poverty-stricken children don’t have access to age-appropriate books and educational materials at home,” said LtGen Jim Laster, USMC (Retired), President and CEO of the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation.   

Over the summer months, children in need may have lost  as much as one third of their progress from the previous school year, simply because they lacked access to books and other learning materials to keep their reading and comprehension skills sharp. Approximately one in six children are living at or below the poverty level in our country, and for these children, the idea of returning to the classroom at a learning disadvantage can be especially discouraging.

Through Operation Turn the Page, and with the help of caring donors, this new initiative will provide disadvantaged children with the books and educational resources they need to learn, grow, and ultimately, achieve a brighter future.

“Thanks to our volunteers and generous supporters, Toys for Tots is making it our mission to help children and families achieve a brighter future,” says LtGen Laster.  “Working together, we can turn the page on poverty.”

Toys for Tots is one of our Nation’s premier and most trusted children’s charities.  Supporters of Operation Turn the Page should know that 100 percent of their contributions go directly toward reading materials for children in need. 

To learn more about this Program and how you can help create a better, brighter future for disadvantaged children, please visit: https://secure.toysfortots.org/a/literacy-program/