The 100+ Women Who Care Grand Traverse and Leelanau County group is donating $10,000 to the Rotary Club of Traverse Bay Twilight Foundation for Rotary's Born to Read program.

Born to Read "promotes early literacy by educating parents about the importance of reading to children from birth." Children’s books will be purchased with the money received from 100+ Women Who Care, a group that has been distributing quarterly gifts of $10,000 or more since December 2011. “There are so many great nonprofits out there, all needing assistance.” says Lisa Sitkins, a group member since 2015. “I love that our pooled resources benefit the organizations more than my $100 would alone.” 100+ Women Who Care group has donated over $260,000 over the last five-and-a-half years.

Studies show reading to children as young as birth can have significant benefits in their lives, beginning with being prepared for school and graduating. The Born to Read program "assists parents in understanding the benefits by distributing Welcome Packets to new parents at Munson Hospital, and by modeling reading to children at laundromats and baby pantries." Rotary partners with local organizations including the Traverse Area District Library, Healthy Futures at Munson Medical Center, TBAISD and more to promote community literacy.