Center for Families

Burkhart Network LLC, a company creating books and complementary products for children and adults, this week donated 700 Raccoon Tales children’s books and complementary raccoon toys to the Indianapolis Public School system for children in preschool and kindergarten classes.

The Center for Families was founded in 1994 with a generous gift from Lorene McCormick Burkhart, alumna of the School of Consumer and Family Sciences at Purdue.

Lorene Burkhart, owner of the company and author of the donated children’s books, made the gift on Monday and marked the event by reading to a group of IPS Even Start Family Literacy preschoolers at School 14 on East Market Street. The Even Start program provides family-focused programming that allows parents and children to attend school together. Key program components are adult literacy, preschool education and parenting education. Parents work on GED requirements and become more knowledgeable about resources including opportunities for work, workforce training and further education through community collaboration. The preschool children follow scholastic curriculum with emphasis on development of language and social skills in preparation for school.

“What a great group of children and parents,” said Burkhart. “It was wonderful to see so many families together in the classroom. Even Start is such a positive project for IPS parents who are working to make a difference for themselves and their children.” Burkhart Network donated sets of the Raccoon Tales books for each Even Start family along with complementary plush raccoon toys.