FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
EASTERN SHORE LITERACY COUNCIL CONTACT: Rose Rulon, Executive Director, 757-789-1795 director.esliteracy@es.vccs.edu January 24, 2024 LITERACY COUNCIL RECEIVES IMAGINATION LIBRARY GRANT The Eastern Shore Literacy Council announces a $5,000 grant award from The National Home Library Foundation to support the local Dolly Parton Imagination Library book gifting initiative. This grant award will support the distribution of books each month to registered age-eligible children. The NHLF supported the distribution of more than 4,800 books to local children in 2023. More than 1,100 children have received 15,000 books since the Fall of 2021, when the Eastern Shore Literacy Council joined with the Dollywood Foundation to bring Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to children in Accomack and Northampton counties. The National Home Library Foundation, a private foundation founded in 1932, supports initiatives that develop, sustain and encourage literacy programs serving children, teens or adults in need of reading and learning resources, with a goal of combating literacy and/or encouraging an interest in reading and the literary arts for all ages. Dolly started the Imagination Library in 1995 for children in her home county. Today her program reaches five countries and distributes more than 2 million books each month through community partners in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia and the Republic of Ireland. Find out more about the Dolly Parton Imagination Library or register a child at www.imaginationlibrary.com, the Eastern Shore Literacy Council at www.shoreliteracy.org or by calling 757-789-1761. ### FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE EASTERN SHORE LITERACY COUNCIL CONTACT: Rose Rulon, Executive Director, 757-789-1795 director.esliteracy@es.vccs.edu The Eastern Shore Literacy Council announces a $2,000 grant award from ProLiteracy. The grant will be used to strengthen fundraising endeavors utilizing Harness, an innovative company that since 2017 has helped more than 1,000 non-profits build sustainable revenue flows through long-term recurring giving models. ProLiteracy, the largest adult and basic education membership organization in the nation was created in 2002, when Literacy Volunteers of America and Laubach Literacy International merged. On behalf of its members network, ProLiteracy provides a strong collective voice to increase awareness of adult literacy challenges, create change and influence public policy. Since 1986, the Eastern Shore Literacy Council has been providing free tutoring to adults in the community through two programs, Adult Basic Education for those reading below the 5th grade level and English As a Second Language for those whose primary language is other than English. Literacy tutors are volunteers who meet with learners one -to-one or in small groups at locations from Cape Charles to Chincoteague. Find out more about ProLiteracy at www.proliteracy.org or the Eastern Shore Literacy Council at www.shoreliteracy.org or by calling 757-789-1761. Eastern Shore Literacy Council Seeks Volunteer Literacy Tutors
The Eastern Shore Literacy Council seeks volunteers willing to change the lives of local adults by helping them achieve basic reading, writing, and/or speaking skills. Previous teaching experience is not necessary. Tutor training is offered at no cost. After successfully completing training, volunteers are paired with an adult learner. A tutor and learner generally meet once or twice weekly for one to two hours each meeting. The results are life-changing for an adult who has struggled. A free tutor training will be held on Tuesday, August 30, 2022 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The training will be held at Eastern Shore Community College in the Workforce Development Services Building. Registration deadline is August 26. The Eastern Shore Literacy Council seeks volunteers willing to change the lives of local adults by helping them achieve basic reading, writing, and/or speaking skills. Previous teaching experience is not necessary.
Tutor training is offered at no cost. After successfully completing training, volunteers are paired with an adult learner. A tutor and learner generally meet once or twice weekly for one to two hours each meeting. The results are life-changing for an adult who has struggled. A free tutor training will be held on Tuesday, August 30, 2022 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The training will be held at Eastern Shore Community College in the Workforce Development Services Building. Registration deadline is August 26. Anyone interested in becoming a volunteer tutor should call (757) 789-1761 or email esliteracy@gmail.com to register. Effective July 1, Virginia will fund 50% of the costs of the Dolly Parton Imagination Library.7/3/2022 Effective July 1, Virginia will fund 50% of the costs of the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. This support will make it possible for affiliates, like the Literacy Council to reach out to more children.
The Imagination Library was established 27 years ago by Dolly Parton in honor of her father. Children age birth to 5 years registered in the program receive an age-appropriate book mailed to their home each month at no cost to their families. A few of the imagination Library goals are to build "home libraries' for children, adopt a love of reading and improve school readiness. A big thank you goes to House of Delegates member Matt Fariss (59th District) who submitted a Budget Amendment in January to have Virginia provide 50% funding and championed the Amendment through the budget process. and to Lynda Harrill, QuickStart Tennis of Central Virginia founder and QuickStart Coordinator who was an active proponent. Many thanks to all members of the House of Delegates and Senate, including our local representatives and Governor Younkin for their support. More than 2,400 children are age eligible on the Eastern Shore. More than 500 local children are receiving an age-appropriate book each month and 62 local children have graduated from the program since the Eastern Shore Literacy Council began sponsoring the program in September 2021. To sign a child up for the Imagination Library visit www.imaginationlibrary.com. Walmart Gives to Eastern Shore Literacy Council
The Eastern Shore Literacy Council announces the receipt of a $1,000 grant from Walmart Giving! The grant was awarded by the Walmart Community Grants Team and store manager for Walmart Store #4378 in Onley, Virginia. The funds will be used throughout 2022 to send an early reader chapter book to each five-year old graduate of the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. Walmart believes in strengthening local communities and empowers each store to support local community programs. Each year, U.S. stores award local grants ranging from $250 to $5,000 to address the unique needs of a variety of local organizations and the community. The Eastern Shore Literacy Council, a Dolly Parton Imagination Library sponsor, covers the cost of an age-appropriate book and mailing each month to any registered age-eligible child residing on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. To register visit www.imaginationlibrary.com. Eastern Shore Literacy Council
29316 Lankford Hwy., P.O. Box 228, Melfa, VA 23410 Contact: Rose Rulon Phone: 757-789-1761 director.esliteracy@es.vccs.edu FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 3, 2022 Eastern Shore Literacy Council Receives Grant The Eastern Shore Literacy Council was recently awarded a ten-thousand dollar ($10,000.00) grant from the Franklin P. and Arthur W. Perdue Foundation to support the Dolly Parton Imagination Library program. Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is a book gifting program that mails new, high-quality, age-appropriate books to children from birth to age five, no matter their family’s income. The program is designed to inspire a love of reading and learning in young children and provided with hopes that adults and children spend hours enjoying special time together. The Imagination Library, started in 1995, mails nearly two million books each month to children worldwide. Local “Champions” are sponsors, acting as administrators, raising funds to cover the costs of mailing and promoting the program. The Eastern Shore Literacy Council became a Dolly Parton Imagination Library affiliate and champion in September 2021. As an affiliate, the Eastern Shore Literacy Council registers children, pays the wholesale cost of books and mailing, and builds community knowledge about the program. An estimated 2,400 children in Accomack and Northampton counties are eligible to receive free books through the Imagination Library. This grant from the Perdue Foundation will enable the Eastern Shore Literacy Council to continue and expand the program. The Perdue Foundation strives to strengthen the communities where Perdue Farms associates live and work by focusing its efforts on education, agriculture, the environment, health and social services, and fighting hunger and poverty. The Eastern Shore Literacy Council has been providing adult basic education and English as a Second Language to adults for three and a half decades. For more information or to donate to the Eastern Shore Literacy Council call 757-789-1761, email esliteracy@gmail.com or visit www.shoreliteracy.org. To register a child for the Imagination Library visit www.imaginationlibrary.com or email . |