On Thursday, December 18th, 2009, volunteers from HPAC and Learning Leaders, Inc teamed up to assemble over 2,000 gift bags for children in grades K-8.  The books were donated to Learning Leaders from Scholastic Books.  The gift bags included one age-appropriate book and a special holiday message from HPAC and Learning Leaders.

The response was enthusiastic at all schools. Joanne Goubourn, principal of Hyde Leadership Charter School, writes, “Our students absolutely loved getting the books before the Holiday…. they were delighted.”  The recipient schools included Bronx Charter School for the Arts, Hyde Leadership Charter School, M.S. 424, P.S. 48, and Saint Ignatius School.  HPAC looks forward to the opportunity to provide more opportunities to encourage reading in the future.