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'Will read for food': Kids in summer reading program earn freebies from Togo's

September 25, 2012

Togo's has joined forces with the California Library Association for the second year in a row to reward local students for reading. As part of the California Summer Reading Program, Togo's recognized more than 100,000 students ranging in ages from 5 to 18 with a certificate for a free Kids Meal or Mini Classic Meal with any 6-inch sandwich purchase.

"Giving back to the communities we serve is extremely important to Togo's and that is why we are proud to sponsor the California Summer Reading Program for the second year in a row," said Tony Gioia, chairman and CEO at Togo's Eateries Inc. "We were truly impressed by how many students visited their local libraries this summer and kept up with their reading, even with school not in session."

Each summer, more than half a million children and teens participate in the California Summer Reading Program at local libraries. The program is based on the well-established principle that free voluntary reading is a valuable way to improve reading and language development, and ultimately create lifelong readers. According to the United We Serve initiative, reading five books over the summer prevents learning loss. Additionally, students engaged in summer reading activities are better prepared for the new academic year, show improvement in spelling, writing style, vocabulary and grammatical development.

"We are very appreciative of Togo's for taking on such an important cause and helping libraries encourage students to read during the summer," said Natalie Cole, programs director at the California Library Association. "Partnerships such as these help us address summer learning loss and encourage our youth to dedicate more time to reading."

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