Learning Together (LT) Family Literacy Program, a program of Guilford Child Development, is changing the lives of mothers and their children.
The target audience of LT is women for whom English is a second language. The most recent program participants were from Sudan, Mexico, Iraq, El Salvador, and Burma. The goals of the program are to help ethnically diverse adult learners achieve their educational goals, expose their children to educational and cultural opportunities and social situations that prepare them for school success, and address the needs related to single parenting within an immigrant/refugee family. Additionally, the staff help to provide cultural opportunities and teachable moments to the mothers and their children as they play and learn together.
This was one of the many organizations provided a grant by the foundation. LT used their grant to provide salaries, staff training and program supplies, and defray indirect costs. The beneficiaries of this grant were 42 children and 30 mothers. As a result of their involvement in the program, the mothers reported an increase in confidence sharing books with their children, confidence in their own literacy skills, greater skill in speaking, listening and writing in general, more confidence as parents, and generally improved contentment. These are women who desire to be part of the larger community, and who want to help their children be ready for school and experience success there.
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