Sam's Hope's has been a partner with the Milwaukee Bucks for 13 years. The mission of this partnership is to encourage children in the inner city to read at home each day, to achieve in school and to provide new books for children to own through the 20 joint projects.Sam Garner was just 12 years old when he and his siblings founded Sam's Hope. You can email Sam's Hope at samshopeliteracy@gmail.com



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Sam's Hope Initiatives:

  • Openning Event each season "Bringing the Books Home Campaign" 2010 event at Discovery World, past events at the Milwaukee Art Museum. 500 to 1000 MPS children are treated to a day at a museum of interaction andamazement. The entire BUCKS team arrives later on to focus on reading to the children (grades 1 thru 3) and talking about staying in school.Culminating with a full team "reading rally" with the children and a book donation of 5000 to 10,000 new books for the children to take home.

  • Scholastic Book Fairs on local college campuses produced by college students to help "book fund" annual events and projects. Encouraging the community to purchase books that will be donated to the children.

  • Holiday givings through Big Brother Big Sisters, Salvation Lodge, partner events and various community families in need. Authors Night at Hartford Univ. School. A community event for all families and all ages of children. Players "Snuggle Up & Read" with the children and play literacy games with the older students. All children pick out their own free book. Many other activities to encourage reading at home.

  • Book Buddies matches older students middle school and high schoolers with first and second graders in a pull out reading/tutor program with proven huge reading level improvements.

  • Gear Up continuing partnership of Book Buddies, book drives and Literacy Night programs with book donations in all Gear UP federally funded program which matches advisors to students from middle schoolt hrough high school with the sole goal of college entrance.

  • Sarah Corner Mini Libraries building all over Milwaukee at community sites now in it 13th year. Built for use of the children in Milwaukee in after school programs.

  • HIPPY graduation gifts of new books each spring prior to children entering school from the pre school 3 year home based program.

  • BUCKS BOOK BLAST at Bradley Center each spring hosting 1000 MPS students in grades 1 thru 3 for a full afternoon on center court with the full team. Each child selects a free new book to take home and they experience a mini half time show plus reading time with the players on the court.

  • City Year year long partnership with this Americorps program whose volunteers works with use supporting a number of our programs and the prep projects to support all programs.

  • Redline Gallery pilot program to take a group of MPS 3rd graders to the gallery for the day to work with an author and finalize production of a book. Finished books delivered to their school and to the Milwaukee Bucks.

  • BUCKS SLAM DUNK hosted by Marquette University. A full day on the campus with specific campus tour programs and then sessions taught by students geared to the theme of the year for Sam's Hope. All themes use the Players home towns and countries as the basis for the lessons. Game sessions throughout, lunch time with BANGO. Free new books and a final Snuggle Up & Read with college students. SPARK Snuggle Up & Read hosted by Boys and Girls Clubs and co-produced by SPARK literacy program, a pull out tutoring Americorps funded program for K thru 3rd graders. Free new books for all children and a "rally" with BUCKS players.

  • Collaboration with Stein Scholars as they staff some of our projects. This is the legacy program of Marty Stein for young people.

  • Kids Matter "Operation Baby Book" donating board books to foster care children between the ages of new born to age 3. Each new book is given to the nurse/ social worker assigned to their cases. Sponsored by Milwaukee Bucks/Sam's Hope and Scholastic Books.

  • Book donating collaboration with New Threads of Hope and KIDS for annual giving.

  • "Get SWAG" pilot program focusing on vocabulary needs of inner city kids to close the vocabulary gap. Rewards for all projects associated with "Get SWAG" provided by Milwaukee BUCKS and Sam's Hope along with Scholastic Book Fairs, New Threads and KIDS.

  • Marquette Law School Reading Rally. A day on the Law School campus for 3rd graders experiencing the full law school exposure including mock court rooms, learning about the law in fun and innovative sessions culminating with a reading rally with BUCKS Players. Al children receive BUCKS book bags and free new books from Sam's Hope and donors.

  • Gathering young people, high school, college and grad schools throughout community to become the volunteer staff for Sam's Hope for the season.