Community Organizations & Resources

Budding Readers is a local, non-profit organization that provides free books and guidance to parents about reading to babies and young children. They have relationships with a number of community programs in the Bloomfield, Honeoye, Marcus Whitman, Red Jacket, Midlakes, and Naples communities that give a free "bundle of books" to babies up to 36 months of age and their siblings. Bundle requests can be made on the Budding Readers website: www.buddingreaders.org.

The bundles are personally delivered by Budding Readers volunteers who are mostly current or retired educators. The Red Jacket Budding Readers Program is coordinated by Mary Beth Poupart, with assistance from Burdie Gillern, Sally Osborne, and Sue Winslow, retired elementary teachers from Red Jacket.

In May 2021, 126 books were donated to kindergarten and UPK students as end of year gifts to keep the reading habit going over the summer.

The funding comes solely from grants, charitable contributions, and donations. 

Do you know a Red Jacket expectant mom? Have them contact the Budding Readers to receive a free "bundle of books."