Wish You Well Foundation Grants

The Wish You Well Foundation Grants support family literacy in the United States by fostering and promoting the development and expansion of new and existing literacy and educational programs.

The board meets an average of four times per year to review and vote on applications; most requests range from $200 to $10,000. Organizations are reminded to base their requested amount on the program's unique needs for funding.

Deadline: ongoing. 

Target's Community Outreach

Target Stores seem to have about a bazillion different areas of interest to libraries and media centers.

They have 5 different Reading programs, among which are:

* School Library Makeovers

* They help PTO Today by sponsoring free Family Reading Night Kits to schools.

* Supporting United Through Reading, a program that unite families facing physical separation by facilitating the bonding experience of reading aloud together.

They also have those Early Childhood reading Grants (I blogged about those before).

They offer Art and Culture in Schools Grants for $2,000 (deadline is April 30 each year to helps "schools bring more arts and culture into the classroom, enabling them to expand their creativity.” Because “music, art, dance, drama and visual arts are all part of the well-rounded education our kids deserve."

To benefit school kids, they also offer Field Trip Grants.

Target also does social services type stuff, crisis relief type stuff, and also support military families and veterans, which are worthy and valuable areas of support.

First Book

Y’all probably already know about First Book, but just in case you don’t, it’s a nonprofit organization that provides to schools and programs serving children from low-income families. I believe that programs need to serve at least 80% children from low-income families to receive free books.

Regionally First Book efforts are coordinated by committees of volunteers called Advisory Boards. There are two in Connecticut; greater Hartford and Fairfield. Contact them by email, below at greater_hartford@firstbook.org and fairfield_ct@firstbook.org.

Libraries are among the types of agency eligible to register to receive free books, but think this is an ideal way to bring something to the table to your partner agencies.Who might those be, you ask? I'm glad you asked.

Potential Partners

Afterschool programs

Charter and non-charter schools or classrooms

Arts/museum programs

Childcare programs

Community Centers

Corrections/Judicial/Incarcerated Parents

Early Childhood

Emergency/Relief Services

Foster Care/Group Homes

Health Services

Literacy Organizations

Military Support Programs

Nutrition/Food Programs

Parent Education/Family Programs

Recreation Programs

You might already be affiliated with organizations like these, which First Book recognizes:

Big Brothers / Big Sisters

Boys & Girls Clubs

Catholic Charities

Head Start

Jumpstart

Junior League

Kiwanis International

National Center for Family Literacy (NCFL)

National Council of La Raza (NCLR)

National Education Association (NEA)

Parent Child Home Program

Parent Teacher Association (PTA)

Parents as Teachers

Reading Is Fundamental (RIF)

The Salvation Army

United Way / Success By Six

Women, Infants and Children (WIC)

YMCA / YWCA

Youth Service America (YSA)

Zero To Three