Abbey Banks, East Bay Community Foundation Director of Donor Engagement, reads to
kindergarten students at Stege Elementary School in Richmond as part of the kickoff of
the Foundation’s initiative to bring literacy resources to young children in Richmond.

Meaningfully addressing large challenges – such as ensuring young children acquire literacy skills early enough to be successful in school – requires combining the leadership, capital, and expertise of more than one resource.

It requires the power of many.

That’s why the East Bay Community Foundation is leading a partnership with the Chamberlin Family Foundation, nonprofit literacy specialist Bring Me A Book, and the West Contra Costa Unified School District to bring new literacy resources to young children in Richmond.

And we’re not the only ones telling this story -- so did KTVU Channel 2 News, the news website, Richmond Confidential, and a number of East Bay newspapers.     

A $272,000 grant from the East Bay Community Foundation funds work by the non-profit reading specialist Bring Me A Book that will place a bookcase library with 30 new, hardcover, bilingual books and annual book replenishments for the children and families of 70 kindergarten classrooms in all 19 Richmond schools.  The initiative will also provide two literacy workshops at each elementary school for parents, caregivers and teachers to learn the importance of reading aloud and ways to create a daily read-aloud routine with their children. 

Students and families will benefit from having daily access to high-quality literacy resources in the classroom and at home.  Some 4,200 children and 5,230 parents and caregivers are impacted by the program, which is placing more than 8,000 books in Richmond schools.

The grant of more than $272,000 for the initiative came to the East Bay Community Foundation from the Chamberlin Family Foundation.    

You can help ensure young children become literate by making a donation to our new Early Childhood Success Fund. Learn More.