More than 11,000 elementary school students in Sarasota and Manatee counties will celebrate reading and diversity on March 2, the 113th birthday of Dr. Seuss. Embracing Dr. Seuss’ Differences Day is the brainchild of Embracing Our Differences, a local nonprofit organization that created the event four years ago as part of its ongoing educational initiatives. For the second year in a row, the Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading is participating through funding from The Patterson Foundation, the Community Foundation of Sarasota County, the United Way of Manatee County and the Manatee Community Foundation. Readings are scheduled for more than 630 classrooms in 65 schools across Sarasota and Manatee counties. To date, approximately 450 volunteers from the community have signed up to be readers. Over the course of the day, more than 4,000 books will be distributed in Title I schools. The Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading is a community-wide effort in Manatee and Sarasota counties to help all children, especially those from low-income families, succeed in school and life by ensuring they read on grade level by the end of third grade.

Embracing Our Differences