REGIONAL Federal Credit Union Participates in I Need a Hug and Reading Buddies Programs

REGIONAL federal credit union, located at 2801 Boilermaker Court in Valparaiso, has teamed up with the ESO Tri-County Woman’s Reading Club to collect new stuffed animals for the I Need a Hug Program. Donations may be dropped off at REGIONAL through June 30th.

I Need a Hug was developed by the United Way Regional Volunteer Center in partnership with the Valparaiso Softball Team. Throughout the year, new, small stuffed animals are collected by businesses, groups, churches, book clubs, boards and schools as well as local campus-wide drives. These animals are given to the Guidance Counselors in our elementary schools to be used as counseling tools.

Reading Buddies is part of the I Need a Hug Program. This is a literacy program that provides second graders with a “buddy” that they read aloud to each day for 15 minutes. Children are tested at the beginning of the year and again at the end of the year; reading scores in participating schools have increased significantly with this program.