The Hot Springs Area Community Foundation, an affiliate of Arkansas Community Foundation, recently announced that $30,013 in Early Literacy Grants were awarded to six nonprofits in Garland and Montgomery counties.
Grant applications were solicited for awards aimed at projects and programs that work to ensure that more children are kindergarten-ready in language and literacy by connecting them to age-appropriate literacy development resources from birth to age 4, a news release said.
Proposals focusing on increasing the number of preschoolers exposed to phonics by working with child care centers to implement pre-K phonemic awareness curriculum or parent engagement received strong consideration, it said.
"The local affiliate has continued its efforts to address the statewide Early Literacy issue, formerly known as the Grade-Level Reading Initiative, since 2018. Community foundation directed funds will allow the six excellent proposals to become reality beginning in early summer 2023," the release said.
"We are certainly appreciative of our faithful donors who continue to provide funds to strengthen youngsters' reading skills with our participation in the literacy focus. These children are the future of our community. Without 'learning to read,' it is impossible to 'read to learn,'" Joyce Whitfield, executive director of the community foundation, said in the release.
Grant recipients included the following:
Imagination Library of the Ouachitas -- The book distribution program working in both Garland and Montgomery counties "works diligently" to get books into the homes of children from birth to age 5 with a book mailed monthly to their home address. The program also helps educate parents about the importance of reading to their children by increasing access to books in the home.
Dawson Education Cooperative -- HSACF granted funds to provide additional literacy manipulatives that allow learning literacy skills while playing for each of the 16 Arkansas Better Choices Pre-K classrooms within the Lake Hamilton, Hot Springs, Fountain Lake, Mountain Pine, Cutter Morning Star and Jessieville school districts.
"These manipulatives are used in different interest or play centers in each classroom. For example, the group of manipulatives selected this year include alphabet blocks to be used in the block center and floating matching alphabet toys to be used in the water center. To address the outcomes from the use of these tools, three different assessments are used to show student progress throughout the year," the release said.
DeQueen-Mena Educational Coop -- Located in Montgomery County, also serviced by the Hot Springs Area Community Foundation, the Oden ABC Preschool will benefit from grant funding to purchase books and materials for classroom use as well as taken home for family engagement activities in the home setting to promote and encourage the concepts of reading.
NPC-ChildCare Aware of West Central Arkansas -- Serving Garland and Montgomery counties' schools and child care facilities, the project submitted will develop permanent and temporary "Literacy Trails" for children up to 60 months old.
The permanent trails will be in conjunction with the Parks and Trails division of the Greenway Trail. Temporary signage for Literacy Trails will be used at community events and available for checkout by licensed Child Care Providers and schools for family engagement events and classroom curriculum support. The books will be changed out monthly to maintain interest and allow repetition for children frequenting the trail.
First Baptist Preschool, Hot Springs -- New manipulatives including puzzles, flash cards, games, and teacher resource materials to improve literacy learning resources for classrooms and the school library. In addition, 26 paver blocks will be purchased to construct an alphabet walkway on the school playground. These additions will promote kindergarten readiness.
Mid-America Science Museum -- The grant will allow the museum staff to continue their Scientots Early Childhood Literacy Program to Lake Hamilton Head Start Center for 3- to 5-year-old children. The funding will cover the resources needed for science materials for 45 lessons throughout the semester.
The Early Literacy grant recipients were notified recently of their applications being approved for funding and will be recognized later this fall at the Hot Springs Area Community Foundation's annual Giving Tree Grantee Reception.
"The Hot Springs Area Community Foundation was formed in 1991 by a group of local community leaders wanting to help Hot Springs citizens protect, grow, and direct their charitable dollars towards the community needs," the release said.
"By making grants and sharing knowledge, HSACF supports charitable programs and partners to create new initiatives that address the gaps."
Since 1991, the Hot Springs affiliate has granted over $19,715,947 to "worthy causes." Call Whitfield at 501-372-1007, or email [email protected] for more information.