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A gift from a Georgia non-profit may ensure that children in Troup County’s School System have a great start to a lifetime of reading.

Tammy Soulakos, a realtor with Keller Williams in  Newnan and volunteer with Kares 4 Kids, donated 125 books to the Troup County School  System, according to a press release from TCSS. 

“Reading is important to young children and we want to promote reading and help them from an early age succeed in life,” Soulakos said. 

Kares 4 Kids is a 501(c) 3 organization operated by Keller Williams Realty. 

Kares 4 Kids also presented the Sleep in Heavenly Peace LaGrange chapter with a $2,000 check to help purchase beds and other bedding items for children in Troup County.

Greg Watts, Chapter President of SHP said this donation will help fund beds for a least 15 kids. Almost 100 children in Troup County received beds in the past three years due to Sleep in Heavenly Peace’s work.

“This is wonderful,” Watts said. “We are 100 percent funded by donations. This can go a long way just in time  for Christmas.”   

The goal of Kares 4 Kids is to help a million children in the extended metro Atlanta area according to Soulakos.

So far, they have reached 500,000.

Nicole Kennedy,  Title I parent and family engagement coordinator at TCSS, commended Watts and Soulakos on their efforts to make reading more available to the area’s children. 

“This is community collaboration at its best! Tammy and I had talked before about children’s books and the many different ways we distribute them in Troup County through the school system and Get Troup Reading,” Kennedy said. “I know that Greg Watts and his Sleep in Heavenly Peace team share books with families each time they deliver new beds, as well. When a community works  together, sharing resources, we can extend our reach.”

Both presentations were made at the Administrative Services Center on Wednesday, Dec. 15.