2011 Announcements

August 15, 2011

Dear Literacy Foundation and Literacy Institute Board Members,
I wanted to share with you that the Virginia Literacy Foundation has received two major grants.

The first is a grant from Verizon in the amount of $250,000 for the Verizon Improvement Project (VIP). VIP is a statewide initiative that will provide technical assistance, training and technology upgrades to a select group of community-based literacy organizations (CBLO). The ability to serve more students with stronger services will have a positive economic effect through an increased number of literate citizens and an educated workforce.

The second grant is from the Robins Foundation in the amount of $259,995 for the Excellence in Children’s Early Language and Literacy (ExCELL) project. ExCELL promotes young children’s acquisition of critical early language and literacy skills by coordinating, implementing, and evaluating its comprehensive, customized research-based model for early and family literacy. ExCELL creates enhanced home and classroom learning environments through ongoing engagement and education of parents and families and ongoing training and support to teachers, assistants, and directors in research-based early literacy assessment and instructional approaches.

I hope you will join me in expressing gratitude to Verizon and the Robins Foundation for their support of the work the Foundation.

Mark Emblidge

September 8, 2011

Click here to view the letter from Governor McDonnell to Mr. Lowell C. McAdam, President & Chief Executive Officer of Verizon, thanking Verizon for the generous grant awarded to the Virginia Literacy Foundation.