Breaking the Intergenterational Cycle of Illiteracy

According to the experts, reading to children early and often is the single most important thing parents can do to prepare them to start school ready to learn to read. Parents who lack basic literacy skills cannot experience the pleasure of reading to their children. The children, in turn, will not reap the educational benefit that being read to brings. If no one intervenes, this pattern is repeated in each new generation. Family literacy programs supported by the Foundation seek to break the intergenerational cycle of illiteracy through innovative projects that:

• Increase the skills and educational levels of under- educated parents
• Implement a management and accountability system to measure program effectiveness and outcomes on a regular basis
• Provide a path to post-secondary education (the GED), employment and beyond
• Improve the quality of parent/child interaction, and adults' parenting skills in support of their children's learning
• Employ well-trained and dedicated staff who establishes learning environments that positively affect recruitment and retention of adult learners
• Encourage families to develop a love for books and reading, and prepare children for the school experience
• Introduce parents to the services of the library