Literacy For All, a donor-advised fund of the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, is pleased to announce that it has awarded 27 community-based organizations in Georgia a total of $298,000 in grants to support multigenerational literacy programs.
Literacy For All supports the implementation of new and existing programs, projects or efforts that address breaking the cycle of multigenerational low literacy across the state by focusing on children, families and adults. Literacy is a fundamental component of a thriving community. Parents and caregivers are a child's first teacher, yet many parents and adults need additional support to help their child achieve critical literacy development milestones. That's why it's important to leverage and support effective partnerships that focus on multigenerational approaches to literacy improvements.
“Approaching literacy across the generational spectrum is critical,” said Alicia Philipp, president of the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta. “We must seek solutions that meet students where they are, whether it’s a child just entering school learning the fundamentals or an adult who needs to strengthen literacy skills to secure a better job that will improve their family’s circumstances. These grants will boost organizations on the front lines of these challenges.”
2018 Literacy For All Grantees
Bartow Collaborative Located in Cartersville, Georgia, the Bartow Collaborative is Bartow County’s Georgia Family Connection Partnership which coordinates nonprofits, local government, social services, and the faith community around common goals.
In partnership with the Bartow Literacy Council and Bookmobile: Reading to Go Places, Bartow Collaborative is offering multigenerational programming to their community. This Literacy For All grant will support one-on-one reading tutoring for students, summer and afterschool reading engagement and workshops for parents and community professionals.
Brooks Co. Family Connection Located in Quitman, Georgia, Brooks County Family Connection is a local community development collaborative that works to improve outcomes of children, families and communities.
This Literacy For All grant will support their multigenerational program focusing on: book distribution and training for families about the importance of reading, literacy awareness in the community, as well as other local literacy initiatives like the Sheriff’s literacy program.
CIS Milledgeville Located in Milledgeville, Georgia, Communities in Schools (CIS) is a partnership with the Baldwin County Certified Literate Community Program to continue working on school age literacy and drop-out prevention, and literacy programs for parents of these students.
This Literacy For All grant will empower work with principals, teachers and support personnel to provide resources in the school to identify and remove barriers to students’ ability to learn, and will also link parents to opportunities for adult learning and GED completion.
City of Refuge Dalton Located in Dalton, Georgia, City of Refuge Dalton is an outreach program to meet the physical, mental and spiritual needs of the homeless, low income, poverty level and indigent families of Whitfield and Murray counties in Northwest Georgia by addressing the needs of the disadvantaged regardless of race, ethnicity, age, gender or disability and to help integrate them back into society to lead healthy functional lives.
This Literacy For All grant will support City of Refuge’s CORE summer and afterschool programs which address both the obstacles and educational needs of students by providing transportation, food security and free programming to help increase reading and math proficiency.
Clarkston Development Foundation Located in Clarkston, Georgia, Clarkston Development Foundation engages the diverse residents of Clarkston in decisions that impact their lives, using an asset based community development approach to transform education so that all Clarkston children and youth are nurtured, supported, and prepared to learn - from birth through post-secondary education.
This Literacy For All grant will support family literacy initiatives in the community that model the Eat. Move. Talk curriculum.
Connecting Henry Located in McDonough, Georgia, Connecting Henry, a department of Henry County Government and a non-profit organization, is the local branch of the Georgia Family Connection. Their mission is to identify and connect existing resources in the community by facilitating collaboration to strengthen families and children.
This Literacy For All grant will support their S.W.A.G. program (Students Working to Achieve Greatness). S.W.A.G., Connecting Henry's young adult Workforce Program, identifies individual needs and delivers services for out-of-school youth ages 16 to 24. Services offered include paid or unpaid work experience, career exploration, comprehensive guidance and counseling, adult mentoring, free GED classes and testing, and occupational skill training for qualified high school graduates.
Fathers Incorporated Headquartered in Dunwoody, Georgia, Fathers Incorporated is dedicated to strengthening the community and family infrastructure by encouraging and enabling the positive involvement of fathers in the lives of their children.
This Literacy For All grant will support the "Drive to Five" initiative, a two-generation literacy program that targets children ages 0-5 and their fathers/male caregivers by encouraging the love for reading, improving literacy skills and strengthening bonds.
Ferst Readers Ferst Readers is a statewide literacy organization whose mission is to provide books for local communities to prepare preschool children for reading and learning success. Ferst Readers encourages early literacy development by targeting one of the key reasons many children enter school up to two years behind their peers – the lack of access to print and little exposure to a rich language environment in the home.
This Literacy For All grant will support the efforts of Ferst’s Community Action Teams (CATs), comprised of dedicated volunteers, who oversee all aspects of the program at the county/community level, as well as Ferst’s new program Conversations Count.
Friends of Refugees Located in Clarkston, Georgia, Friends of Refugees is empowering refugees through opportunities for well-being, education and employment.
This Literacy for All grant will enable additional support for the two-generation approach to English fluency and literacy instruction/support for refugees living in/near Clarkston and at Friends of Refugees new Memorial Drive location.
Hands On Atlanta Located in Atlanta, Georgia, Hands On Atlanta's education programming objective is to increase academic success among economically disadvantaged Metro Atlanta students through academic support, social and emotional learning skill-building, and basic needs. The suite of programs integrates community volunteers and AmeriCorps members to provide weekday school tutoring and support services at program sites.
This Literacy For All grant will support the implementation of the Talk With Me Baby @ Work program which provides parents and caregivers of young children, as well as expecting parents, with tools and strategies to support early brain and language development.
Harris Co. Family Connection Located in Hamilton, Georgia, Harris County Family Connection’s mission is to enhance and improve the quality of life for families and children in the community. The collaborative of agencies, such as Communities in Schools, the local board of education, CLCP and others, is united by the one common goal to ascertain the needs of families and children and to aid them in becoming self-sufficient.
This Literacy For All grant will support a Mobile Learning Lab for the community that will provide increased opportunities for families, offering both adult and child educational and literacy-focused resources.
Heartbound Ministries With a widespread focus throughout metro Atlanta and southern Georgia, Heartbound Ministries provides programs & resources to meet the needs of the prison community - correctional staff, inmates & their families - changing the culture from one of crime and incarceration to hope & restoration.
This Literacy For All grant will support The Little Readers program which allows children to see and hear their incarcerated parent reading to them via DVD. The goal of the program is to ease children’s anxieties about their parent’s absence, empower incarcerated parents to continue their parental involvement and invest in their children’s academic futures, and to promote a culture of literacy in families impacted by incarceration.
Humane Society of Madison-Morgan Co. Located in Madison, Georgia, the Humane Society of Madison-Morgan works to improve reading skills of 2nd-8th grade reluctant readers and to foster better writing skills.
This Literacy For All grant will support their summer reading program “Paws for Reading” which provides pets for students to practice reading to, as well as helping develop the students’ writing skills.
International Rescue Committee Located in Atlanta, Georgia, The International Rescue Committee, Inc. (IRC) responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. The IRC's on-site educational programming provides a full range of opportunities that help refugees close the language gap and begin their journey towards self-sufficiency.
This Literacy For All grant will support The IRC’s Refugee Family Literacy (RFL) program, which will leverage and integrate existing adult education and childcare classes at the IRC to create a formal family literacy program in partnership with the DeKalb County Public Library. The RFL program will equip newly arrived refugee adults and children ages 3-5 with the necessary English skills to support integration into their communities and set the path for thriving families.
Lee Co. Family Connection Located in Leesburg, Georgia, Lee County Family Connection is dedicated to the mission of improving conditions for at-risk children and families in their community.
This Literacy For All grant will support Family Engagement Academy and Family Literacy Nights, a series of five workshops that will guide families into a stronger understanding of being an engaged parent in their child’s development of literacy skills.
Literacy Action Located in Atlanta, Georgia, Literacy Action is the oldest, largest and leading adult basic education nonprofit in the southeastern U.S. Their mission is to build better futures for undereducated adults by teaching literacy, life and work skills that empower them to reach their highest potential.
This Literacy For All grant will support Literacy Action’s multigenerational family literacy program which prepares parents to help their children with homework. The family literacy program is being implemented in partnership with Atlanta Public Schools.
Literacy Coalition of Lumpkin Co. Located in Dahlonega, Georgia, the Literacy Coalition of Lumpkin County provides adult education GED prep and ESL classes, as well as hosts community family literacy events.
This Literacy For All grant will support a literacy focused outreach program bringing literacy, health and wellness, and workforce resources to underserved residents of Lumpkin County.
Literacy Forsyth Located in Cumming, Georgia, Literacy Forsyth provides family literacy services that educate, build personal self-sufficiency, and strengthen the community’s economic base.
This Literacy For All grant will support family literacy programs such as Family Literacy Nights, a lending library for families, and community “Leap Into Literacy” events, a collaborative with local partners in healthcare, libraries and the local board of education.
Los Niños Primero Located in Sandy Springs, Georgia, Los Niños Primero is a year-round educational program for Latino children, working to provide families and children with the tools they need to be successful in school and beyond.
This Literacy For All grant will support low income, pre-K Latino students by engaging both students and their parents in learning throughout the year.
Neighborhoods Focused On African-American Youth Located in Columbus, Georgia, Neighborhoods Focused on African-American Youth is focused on taking the HFM Model, a proven neighborhood organizing and youth program implementation, to economically impoverished neighborhoods via the "Organizing To Save Our Youth” project.
This Literacy For All grant will support expansion of the project to the Fort Valley area.
Newton Co. Community Partnership Located in Covington, Georgia, Newton County Community Partnership’s (NCCP) mission is to break the poverty lifecycle by building the capacity of families, establishing neighborhood voice and supporting positive literacy behaviors leading to improved school success and workforce readiness. NCCP supports volunteers who establish responsive relationships with families in poverty, and together, plan how to reduce sources of stress.
This Literacy For All grant will support the establishment of a book-rich culture at the Covington Housing Authority, and provide support for literacy programs accessible to residents of all ages. NCCP’s programs will increase resident access to books, language-rich activities, and health education.
Northwest Georgia Healthcare Partnership Located in Dalton, Georgia, The Northwest Georgia Healthcare Partnership mission is to improve community health by identifying sustainable solutions to significant health issues via innovation, benchmarking and application of best practices.
This Literacy For All grant will support literacy programming for Reach Out Roan, which targets a strategically chosen neighborhood linked by Dalton Housing Authority and Dalton Public School’s Roan Elementary School. The innovative programs offered include parent-child workshops, cooking classes, Enhanced Child Development Associates Certificate (ECDA) classes, as well as the distribution of books and other resources to families.
Our House With locations in Atlanta and Decatur, Our House breaks the chains of homelessness by providing quality early childhood education and comprehensive support services for families experiencing homelessness.
This Literacy For All grant will support Our House’s early education program for 0-5 year olds, as well as the Family Services Program, which provides parents with ongoing case management, life-skills training and monthly education workshops.
Star C Located in Clarkston, Georgia, Star C’s mission is to reduce transiency in the local school system and improve students’ academic success through a collaboration of the three important pillars of an individual’s success: affordable housing, free access to on-site after-school programming, and affordable medical care.
This Literacy For All grant will support Star C’s free, onsite after school program and summer reading program/camp for elementary school-aged children living at Willow Branch Apartments, an affordable housing community in Clarkston, Georgia.
Three Rivers Housing Development Corp. Located in Rome, Georgia, Three Rivers Housing Development’s mission is to promote self-sufficiency amongst public housing residents and other low-income families within the community, and most importantly provide quality education deserved by all children.
This Literacy For All grant will support the Rome Children’s Academy which provides childcare and Montessori-based educational programming for 0-5 year olds.
Toombs Co. Family Connection Located in Vidalia, Georgia, Toombs County Family Connection’s mission is to improve the well-being and health conditions of families through a collaborative system of physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual supports.
This Literacy For All grant will support the Get Toombs County Reading Campaign. The collaborative will provide a continuum of services to the community (both children and adults) that focus on the importance of early language and literacy development using the pillars and keys of access outlined by Get Georgia Reading so that children can read on grade level by 3rd grade. In partnership with Ferst Readers, TCFC will form a Community Action Team to get books to preschool-aged children and provide education to their caretakers on how to use available resources.
Volunteers for Literacy - Habersham Co. Located in Cornelia, Georgia, Volunteers for Literacy – Habersham (VFL) empowers people through literacy so they can lead more productive and fulfilling lives.
This Literacy For All grant will support VFL’s English Language Acquisition program for undocumented residents of the community. VFL uses a multigenerational approach by adding a pre-school/readiness class which prepares pre-school children of ELA students for kindergarten.
About Literacy For All Launched in 2016, Literacy For All is a donor-advised fund of the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta. Literacy For All is a community literacy fund, a grantmaking organization and advocacy campaign dedicated to connecting results-focused literacy organizations to each other and to the donor community. Literacy For All believes that reading comprehension is a larger, multigenerational community issue with interconnected, vital implications to business, culture, education, family life and government throughout our state.
Literacy For All Mission To serve as the connector and convener of the Georgia literacy community, linking donors to community partners and partners to one another to innovate, champion, and fund multigenerational literacy opportunities and spark transformative policy that benefits people of all ages.
Literacy ForAll Steering Committee Members
Jany Brown, Vice President-Wealth Management, UBS Financial Services, Inc.
Lesley Grady, Senior Vice President, Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta
Phil Jacobs, Retired President, AT&T Georgia
Errika Moore, Executive Director, TAG-Ed
Dave Peterson, Retired CEO, North Highland Consulting
James Rodgers, FIMC, CMC, The Diversity Coach
Neil Shorthouse, Co-Founder, Communities in Schools Georgia
Joy Hawkins, Literacy For All Director - jhawkins@literacyforallfund.org
About the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta Since 1951, the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta has been connecting the passions of philanthropists with the purposes of nonprofits doing that work. With 67 years serving the 23-county Atlanta region and a robust team of experts, the Community Foundation manages the behind-the-scenes details, empowering our donors to focus on the joy of giving. The Community Foundation is a top-20 community foundation nationally with approximately $1.1 billion in current assets and is Georgia’s second largest foundation. Through its quality services and innovative leadership on community issues, the Foundation received more than $144 million from donors in 2017 and distributed more than $100 million that same year to support nonprofits throughout the region and beyond. In 2018 Charity Navigator named the Community Foundation a four-star rated nonprofit, its top distinction. For more information, visit: cfgreateratlanta.org or connect with the Foundation via Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.
Read more at http://atlanta.daybooknetwork.com/story/2018-07-27/54729-literacy-for-all-fund-grants/#d22jAY4wU0zsQ0Sb.99