Hermanowski Family Foundation Initial Request Form

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Organization Name: Giggle & Read Foundation
Legal Name (if Different):
Also Known As:
Mailing Address: 108 Washington Ave
City: Vineyard Haven
State: MA
Postal Code: 02568
Main Phone: (917) 446-6358
Main Fax:
Organization Website: giggleandread.org
Employer ID Number: 41-2826231
Organization Tax Status: 501(c)(3)

Proposal Information

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Today’s Date: 6/30/26
Requested Amount: 5,000

Project Title: Cape Cod Early Literacy Project
Project Description:

Giggle & Read Foundation is requesting $5,000 to support the 2026-2027 Martha’s Vineyard and Cape Cod Early Literacy Pilot, a play-based reading program serving up to 50 children ages 4 to 6.

Our curriculum is grounded in the Science of Reading and Orton-Gillingham multisensory principles. The program is delivered entirely through hands-on, human-led instruction. There are no screens and no apps. A child learns the letter V by making valentines. They build words with physical flashcard decks while a parent or grandparent sits beside them. Every one of the 84 lessons is designed to feel like play, because at this age, play is how children actually learn.

The program can be taught by parents, grandparents, librarians, teachers, and volunteers, with no specialized training required and no expensive materials. That accessibility matters in rural, seasonal communities like Martha’s Vineyard and Cape Cod, where many families cannot afford private tutoring and many schools and libraries lack the staffing for consistent early intervention.

The pilot is delivered through public libraries and community sites, anchored by a new Adventure Passport that turns reading progress into a regional library scavenger hunt. We also use a child confidence assessment, developed with a reading specialist on the neurology team at Boston Children’s Hospital, to identify children who are beginning to feel discouraged about reading before that feeling takes hold.

Independent evaluations of Giggle & Read, dating back to 1971 and again in 2010, have consistently found significant literacy gains among participants. Our 2025 pilot entered its first Massachusetts public school, where teacher feedback was strongly positive.

This grant would help fund printed program materials for the full cohort of 50 children, giving every child the physical tools they need to learn to read with confidence and joy.

Total Project Budget: 50,000

Other Funding
Sources For The Project (Committed & Potential): Giggle & Read LLC has committed $10,000. Cape Cod 5 Bank and Ben & Bill’s Ice Cream have confirmed support. Applications are pending with Rockland Trust Charitable Foundation, Eastern Bank Foundation, Network Solutions, Bilezikian Foundation, and Cape & Islands United Way, each in the range of $5,000.

Project Duration: September 2026 through June 2027
Geographical Area Served: Martha’s Vineyard and Cape Cod, Massachusetts
Age Group To Be Served: Children ages 4 to 6

Contact Information

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Contact Prefix (Mr,Mrs etc.): Mrs.
Contact First Name: Monica
Contact Last Name: VanHorn
Contact Title: Founder & President
Contact Phone: (917) 446-6358
Contact Email: monica@giggleandread.org