Southwest Indiana Area Health Education Center (SWI-AHEC) donates COVID-19 children's books

Southwest Indiana Area Health Education Center (SWI-AHEC), hosted in the USI College of Nursing and Health Professions, donated 750 books to Read Evansville to help local children learn the importance of washing their hands and social distancing as they prepare to return to school. The 22-page story, "My Hero is You," has been distributed worldwide in electronic form through the United Nations' Inter-Agency Standing Committee Reference Group on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Emergency Settings.

"Read Evansville learned that this resource was available online, but needed a partner to help get this children's book about COVID-19 printed and into the hands of local families," said Jane Friona, Executive Director of SWI-AHEC. "This project aligns with our mission to improve health and also educate future healthcare professionals. USI Creative and Print Services did a fantastic job printing and binding these books in a timely manner so they could be distributed prior to the start of school for the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation."

Friona said Kerseclia L. Patterson, SWI-AHEC Academic Outreach Coordinator, plays an important role as liaison between AHEC and Read Evansville and helped in the distribution of books to ECHO Community Healthcare, local day cares, the Dream Center and YWCA.

Read more about this project in the Evansville Courier and Press.