A funding partnership between the Dr. Seuss Foundation and San Diego Foundation, focused on San Diego’s early readers, awarded $50,000 to Library Foundation SD on March 26.
Ready to Learn is a program dedicated to providing young children with a strong foundation in reading and literacy. The Library Foundation was one of 17 San Diego nonprofits that received funds from the Ready to Learn initiative, which included the Monarch School Project, Words Alive!, and San Diego Rescue Mission. All grantees were recognized at a press conference in the Denny Sanford Children’s Library at the Central Library.
These funds will support two library programs designed to ensure children have the tools and resources they need to thrive in kindergarten and beyond. The READY for 4th initiative is baked into numerous early reading programs offered by the library, which all have the goal of giving children a better shot at success by ensuring they develop crucial reading skills before entering 4th grade — when children transition from learning to read to reading to learn.
Research indicates that students who fall behind in reading at this stage of their education are four times more likely to drop out of school. By supporting early literacy efforts at the library, this program helps lay the groundwork for kids to build brighter futures.
For San Diego’s youngest readers, the 1000 Books Before Kindergarten program is about sharing books, singing, and engaging in conversations with young children to build their language skills and foster a love for reading. This fun and free program is simple and achievable. Reading just one book a day means reaching the goal in three years, setting children on the path to success long before they start kindergarten.
