Heritage 4 Kids, U.S. Steel Bring Safety to Read Across America Day

U.S. Steel Corp. will bring guest readers and donate books to the Heritage 4 Kids Early Learning Center in Braddock to celebrate Read Across America Day next month.

Local community members will also be coming to the center at 404 Braddock Ave. at 9 a.m. March 1 to read to 70 preschool children. The guests will read books about safety, including themes of stranger danger, bullying and how to call 911.

“U. S. Steel is committed to helping the communities where we operate, and we are thrilled to partner with Heritage Community Initiatives to encourage a joy for reading at 4 Kids,” said Sue Kapusta, general manager of community affairs at U. S. Steel. “It is our hope that this program is one of the first steps toward building one of the most critical academic skills our youngsters can acquire.”

Guest readers from U. S. Steel include Staff Sgt. Nick Davis, a U.S. Army recruiter. Davis was deployed twice to Iraq—2004 and 2008—as an Army Calvary Scout responsible for reconnaissance missions.

Readers from the community will include State Rep. Paul Costa, a long-time advocate of education for the 34th legislative District; Braddock Mayor John Fetterman and Police Chief Fred Debartolo; and Edgewood Fire Chief Dave Andrews. Also reading is Patricia Waldinger, CEO of American Red Cross Western Pennsylvania Region, an organization whose mission is to help keep our families and communities safe.

The books donated from U. S. Steel are Emergency Call 911, Never Talk to Strangers, My Mom is a Firefighter and Billy Bully. Every classroom and every student will receive a copy of the book that is read in the classroom. Eat’n Park Restaurants will provide Mini Smiley Cookies for each classroom.

The Heritage 4 Kids Early Learning Center is a nationally and regionally accredited childcare center that fosters early learning for children in underserved communities in the Mon Valley region of Pittsburgh. Ninety-five percent of children enrolled at 4 Kids are from families at or below the poverty level. The education children receive at 4 Kids enables them to start grade school at the same level as their peers from more affluent families.

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