The book count of Bridgeview Elementary School’s library is about to grow, thanks to a $30,000 donation to create a “Literacy Fund.”
The money comes from the Indigo Love of Reading Foundation (ILRF), and Bridgeview was chosen because of the school’s “inadequate library budget of only $8 per student, and books spanning more than 17 years old,” according to a release.
“While the teachers and librarian at Bridgeview Elementary School are extremely dedicated to fostering literacy and a love of reading in their school, they struggle to provide new books and learning materials that are relevant and engaging to their students,” notes a release from the foundation. “As a diverse school with 53 per cent of students speaking English as a second language, multi-language resources and books that reflect the student population are essential to support literacy development and an interest in reading.”
Amazing award of $30,000 from Indigo to Bridgeview elem. every child got to pick out a book as well. Thank you to teachers and staff @Surrey_Schools @amyreid87 @SurreyTeachers #teachers #literacy pic.twitter.com/DHm74rbP11
— Laurie Larsen (@LaurieSchmale) May 23, 2018
The money is part of a $1.5 million fund Indigo’s foundation doles out annually and this year alone, was distributed to 30 “high-needs” elementary schools in Canada.
This year’s grants will mean the chosen schools, combined, can purchase more than 150,000 books over the next three years.
Ariel Siller, executive director of ILRF, said without access to books children are “limited in their chances to learn and explore through reading.”
“That is why we are so dedicated to offering high-needs elementary schools across Canada an opportunity to transform their school libraries through the Literacy Fund grants,” she added, noting it’s made possible “thanks to the generous support of Indigo, its employees and its customers.”
Indigo Love of Reading Foundation reports that since the program’s creation 14 years ago, it’s doled out more than $21 million to close to 300 elementary schools across the country, in addition to $7 million more through its other programs.
The organization has also produced a documentary, called Read Between the Lines, which “captures the importance of early literacy and the challenges we face in Canada by under-funding school libraries.”
See more about the foundation at loveofreading.org.