Las Vegas – Henderson, NV (July 30, 2014) – Spread the Word Nevada (STWN) has received the largest gift in the literacy nonprofit’s history. The Engelstad Family Foundation has awarded a five-year grant totaling $1.8 million towards the “Every Child Reads” project.
Since Spread the Word Nevada’s inception in 2001, 30 schools have been adopted and more than 357,000 youth have been served throughout Southern Nevada.
The “Every Child Reads” project will expedite STWN’s growth and expansion of 30 additional schools that would otherwise be on STWN’s adoption waiting list for the next 15 years. These schools will now be served within the next five years instead, opening up a world of opportunities through the gift of reading to an additional 24,000 at-risk children in Southern Nevada.
“This grant is the largest single contribution in Spread the Word Nevada’s history,”
said Lisa Habighorst, STWN Executive Director. “The Engelstad Family Foundation’s generosity could not have come at a better time. This gift will ensure we don’t lose another generation of children to illiteracy.”
Under the Every Child Reads Project each year, every student in the newly adopted schools will receive 13 books throughout the school year and one eco-friendly canvas book bag, which starts their very own “keep at home” library. There will be eight family literacy programs offered throughout the school year, with a breakfast included for the children and their family members. A one-on-one tutoring program will be offered for struggling readers to be paired with a mentor for 16 weeks.
“The Engelstad Family Foundation “Every Child Reads” project and STWN’s mission to changing the lives of our at-risk children, one book at a time, will touch thousands more children in our low-income communities and make an impact that will broaden and brighten futures.” added Habighorst.
With such a sizeable grant and with immediate implementation, there are areas that will need to grow at once. Being able to reach so many children comes with essential needs like increased staffing, expansion of warehouse space, and additional equipment purchases. This initiative will allow STWN to adopt six elementary schools every year for the next five years.
About Spread the Word Nevada
Spread the Word Nevada, Inc., is a children’s literacy nonprofit, 501(c) (3) corporation, dedicated to advancing early childhood literacy by placing books into the hands and homes of children within Southern Nevada’s at-risk, low income communities. While developing a love of reading, these libraries promote future academic achievement and self-confidence, which impacts lifelong success. Since 2001, Spread the Word Nevada has distributed more than 2.8 million gently used and new books to approximately 357,000 low-income youth in Southern Nevada. Please visit www.SpreadTheWordNevada.org to learn more about program details or call at (702) 564-7809. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.