LANSING, Mich. — In a world where everyone’s always rushing, one of life’s greatest challenges often gets overlooked: how do you inspire young minds to fall in love with books when time is so scarce?
This week’s Good Neighbors had an idea on what to do and it’s about to take off!
Meet six-year-old Alexander Turek who knows a thing or two about reading.
“When you read it makes your brain smarter,” Alexander says confidently.
That same magic inspired Emily Brewer of Ingham Intermediate School District to act. She’s thrilled about a new partnership between Ingham ISD and McLaren Greater Lansing Foundation—a partnership she hopes will encourage even more young readers to discover the joy of books.
“We were approached through the Foundation to talk about a way to sponsor some book nooks, and Ingham ISD loves all things literacy,” says Emily. So, we found some grant funding and purchased the books, and McLaren had some partners who donated the furniture.”
The idea is simple but impactful: create welcoming spaces filled with books for children waiting at McLaren Greater Lansing. Three book nooks are being installed in key locations—the Emergency Room waiting area, the Multi-Specialty Clinic, and the Family Medicine Clinic.
The books? Complimentary take-home reading materials with a focus on healthcare and emotions. Perfect for kids who may need a little comfort or distraction while waiting.
Emily sees it as an opportunity to turn downtime into something meaningful.
“A big challenge with engaging young learners with language and literacy is that families are very busy. Their lives are very busy, and they don't have a lot of downtime. So, we look at this as a great opportunity to have some downtime when they're in a waiting room and waiting and why not engage with some with some literacy activities?”
It’s a team effort, and Darcy Pace of Pace-Howe Design played a key role by donating furniture for the project. Chairs, tables, shelving—all thoughtfully chosen to make the spaces feel inviting.
“We have been involved with the McLaren Greater Lansing family for a very long time,” says Darcy. We were involved in the design and implementation of the hospital, and we know through health care design that positive distractions are a really good thing to have, and the book nook is a great way to do that. It’s an added bonus within an Emergency Room space that could otherwise be a scary environment. To give them that comforting outlet is a great thing.”
The program doesn’t stop at McLaren’s Lansing locations. Thanks to the Clinton Intermediate School District, there are plans to expand to McLaren’s Greater Lansing DeWitt Women’s Clinic.
And as Lynn Griffor, Executive Director of McLaren Lansing Foundation, puts it:
“It's the little things that make such a big difference when you're coming to the hospital, or seeing a physician”
The book nooks will be ready after a ribbon-cutting ceremony on January 23.
Thank you to everyone who brought this vision to life—you’re inspiring young minds and making a difference.
This week’s Good Neighbors remind us: small efforts can spark big change.
Want to see more local news? Visit the FOX47News Website.
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere.
Sign up for newsletters emailed to your inbox.
Select from these options: Neighborhood News, Breaking News, Severe Weather, School Closings, Daily Headlines, and Daily Forecasts.
