Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF) recently awarded 34,639 children’s books to 73 organizations through its Early Literacy Grant Program, increasing the annual distribution by 15,000 books. This grant supports early literacy efforts that enhance school readiness for children birth to age eight by providing children with books.
The books were awarded in partnership with Capstone and ABDO, Mankato-based publishers of children’s books and digital products and services. In 2002, Capstone helped launch the BookStart program, working with SMIF to distribute thousands of books to children in the region over a period of 15 years. In 2018, the Early Literacy Grant was formed as a new collaborative effort between SMIF and the two publishers to put even more books into the hands of children birth to age eight. SMIF has previously partnered with both companies on collectively distributing more than 230,000 books across the region through grants and programming.
The following organizations were awarded Early Literacy Grants because they provide outstanding early literacy opportunities for young children and their families:
- ACHLA- Alliance of Chicanos, Hispanics, and Latin Americans in Rochester
- Alden-Conger Public School Preschool
- Allina Health in Northfield
- Blue Earth Area Schools
- Brown County Public Health
- Byron Early Childhood Family Education
- Cardinal Club of West Concord Mn Inc
- Cardinal Foundation in Lewiston
- Children’s Museum of Rochester Inc
- Christmas in the City in Adams and Taopi
- City of Springfield
- Dodge County Public Health
- Albert Lea – Early Childhood Family Education
- Exchange Club Center for Family Unity in Owatonna
- Fairmont Elementary School
- Families First of Minnesota in Rochester
- Faribault Public Schools
- Fillmore Central Public Schools Community Education
- Fillmore County Public Health
- Friends of the Henderson Public Library
- Friends of the Houston Minnesota Public Library Inc
- Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop School District
- Goodhue County Education District Birth-3 Program
- Goodhue County Health and Human Services
- Goodhue Public Schools
- Human Services of Faribault and Martin Counties
- Kasson-Mantorville Community Education
- Kingsland Public Schools Community Education in Spring Valley
- Lake City Public Schools
- Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial School District
- Le Sueur County Public Health
- Le Sueur-Henderson Public School & ECFE
- Mabel Public Library
- Mankato Area Public Schools Community Education
- Mankato Kiwanis Foundation
- Minnesota Valley Action Council in Mankato
- Muir Library in Winnebago
- New Prague Area Community Education
- New Prague Area Schools
- New Ulm Public Schools
- Next Chapter Inc. in Austin
- Northfield Healthy Community Initiative
- Northfield Public Schools Community Education
- NRHEG Public Schools
- Owatonna Public Schools
- Read Seed Inc in Austin
- Reading Partners serving in the city of Faribault
- Red Wing Public Schools
- Rice County Public Health Nursing Service
- Ridgeview Foundation
- Rochester Public Schools
- Saint John Lutheran Church in Good Thunder
- Sleepy Eye Early Childhood Family Education
- Southern Minnesota Education Consortium in Austin
- Spring Grove Public Schools
- Charles Early Learning Programs
- Steele County Public Health
- Stewartville Early Childhood
- The Children’s Center in Albert Lea
- The Village Agricultural Cooperative in Rochester
- Three Rivers Community Action Incorporated in Zumbrota
- Tri-City United Early Learning
- Trinity Preschool in Owatonna
- Triton Public Schools
- Tri-Valley Opportunity Council Elgin
- Tri-Valley Opportunity Council Inc. Head Start Sleepy Eye
- United Way of Steele County
- Wabasha County Social Services
- Wabasha-Kellogg Public Schools
- WAPS ECFE-Winona Area Public Schools
- Waseca County Public Health
- Waseca Family Education Center (Waseca Public Schools)
- Wells Public Library
“We are grateful to Capstone and ABDO for their extremely generous ongoing donations of thousands of books every year to support early literacy in our region,” said Rae Jean Hansen, vice president of Early Childhood at SMIF. “Their books encourage learning and language development as well as provide opportunities for communities to come together and share in their education initiatives. With this year’s significant increase in book donations, we are able to reach thousands of more children in our region.”
Award recipients were provided with a selection of titles donated by the publishing companies, including bilingual- and Early Childhood-appropriate books. The organizations will incorporate the books into their programs and events where young children will receive books to take home and keep.