PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A festival celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month is moving from North Philadelphia to help families with limited resources in South Philadelphia. The goal is to promote bilingual literacy and to give new parents in the community a leg up with sorely needed baby gear.
The Hispanic Literacy Festival & Community Baby Shower is designed to be both fun and informative. Literacy is an important component, says Damaris Alvarado-Rodriguez, founder of Latinos Educando Juntos, the nonprofit organizing the event.
Several children’s book authors will be reading their Spanish-language and English-language books.
“The goal for the books is … really trying to fill as many homes as possible — especially those with ESL learners. Because a lot of our children that are coming in, they don't speak English, but their families don't speak English as well. So when we ask them to bring and support children with literacy activities at home, they really can't,” she said.
“We decided to try to fill those gaps and to give them as many books as possible, and try to promote literacy, increased literacy, at home — not only for the children, but also for the parents.”
Last year’s festival was held in North Philly, but Alvarado-Rodriguez says there is a tremendous untapped need in South Philly.
“We were talking about bringing it to the South Philadelphia community, because there is an untouched Hispanic population there with so many limited resources and everything's in North Philadelphia. So I decided to come back home to South Philadelphia.”
Alvarado-Rodriguez says the festival starts at 11 a.m. on Saturday outside of Southwark Elementary School (1835 South Ninth Street), and it will feature a baby shower for parents, as well. She says she gets calls every year for baby items from families in need.
“So Latinos Educando Juntos is donating … play pens and car seats. And our other vendors are doing breast pumps. One vendor is doing all diapers,” she said. “So we figured we could fill those gaps as well.”
Other items, such as cribs and clothing will be on hand to give away. And expecting parents will have access to information about doula support, and preventing sudden infant death syndrome.