ALPENA — The Kiwanis Club of Alpena is once again putting children and families at the heart of their service with preparations for the annual Children’s Literacy Project. In partnership with the Northeast Michigan Community Service Agency (NEMCSA), Kiwanis members recently gathered to sort nearly 400 brand-new books provided through Scholastic, Inc., a Kiwanis International Service Partner.

The books will be distributed at the Alpena Farmers Market Kids Day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday at Mich-e-ke-wis Park. Families who stop by the Kiwanis booth can pick out free books for children of all ages, along with toys and candy. NEMCSA staff will also be on hand to share information about their Early Head Start and Head Start Preschool services, which support early childhood learning across Northeast Michigan.

“This project is about sparking a love of reading and putting books directly into the hands of kids and families,” said Kiwanis Club President Rocky Roland. “We’re proud to work with NEMCSA to help children build the foundation for lifelong learning.”

Parents and kids are encouraged to visit the Kiwanis Club booth at Farmers Market Kids Day, choose their own books, and connect with NEMCSA about valuable early learning resources.