On March 2, Manatee Community Foundation joined a day of reading in the classroom together with the Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading, Embracing Our Differences, Community Foundation of Sarasota County, and United Way of Manatee County.

MCF donor coordinator Calaina Goodyear, manager of grants and scholarships Joan McCaw, director of charitable legacy planning and development Suzi Atherton, and executive director Susie Bowie joined hundreds of other volunteers across Manatee and Sarasota counties visiting elementary school classrooms to read Dr. Seuss books with fun lessons about respecting differences.

With a $3,5000 grant from the Bassett, Vita, Vining & Hermann Group at Morgan Stanley Wealth Management Fund of Manatee Community Foundation, Embracing Our Differences purchased books for children in Title 1 classrooms in Manatee County so they could take the book home.

“I had so much fun reading in my classroom,” said Calaina Goodyear. “Opportunities like getting out and being part of this day are a great part of working at MCF.”