Grant Request Read to Grow, Inc.
Hermanowski Family Foundation Initial Request Form
Organization Name: Read to Grow, Inc.
Legal Name (if Different):
Also Known As:
Mailing Address: 53 School Ground Road, #3
City: Branford
State: Connecticut
Postal Code: 06405
Main Phone: 203-488-6800
Main Fax: 203-488-7735
Organization Website: www.readtogrow.org
Employer ID Number: 06-1572185
Organization Tax Status: 501 (c) 3
Proposal Information
Today’s Date: 3/2/2017
Requested Amount: $5,000
Project Title: Books for Babies: Prenatal Project
Project Description:
In a new initiative, Read to Grow is partnering with community health centers in Connecticut to teach low-income pregnant women about the importance of regularly talking to and sharing books with their babies—beginning at birth. This early childhood literacy service provides the women with up to seven new baby books and numerous hand-outs to help them establish regular habits that will help their children to develop strong language and reading skills.
More and more research emerging from health, education, sociology, and economics points to the importance of providing families in need with early interventions which promote pre-literacy among the very young. Not only is literacy fundamental to individual success, it also contributes to healthy communities because children who are literate have higher graduation rates and lower rates of incarceration.
Research confirms that: “The key is to start at birth. Immersing a child in a rich literacy environment can be a stronger predictor of literacy and academic achievement than family income. The more words a child hears, the larger the child’s vocabulary, and the larger the child’s vocabulary, the more likely the child will be a proficient reader.” (Ferst Foundation for Childhood Literacy).
Our Prenatal Project provides a menu of offerings from which each health center can choose to create literacy services for OB clients. Offerings include: new baby books (available in bilingual Spanish-English); bilingual hand-outs; two in-person workshops by Read to Grow staff; free bins for women to store baby books at home; free bookcases for health centers to store Prenatal Project materials; and literacy-education workshops for health center staff.
Project costs will vary at each health center, because each location will determine how our services and materials will be given to OB clients. We estimate that annual costs at each health center will range from $3,000 to $6,000.
Total Project Budget: 30,000 – 60,000
Other Funding
Sources For The Project (Committed & Potential): Potential: Seedlings Foundation, Better World Books
Project Duration: Ongoing
Geographical Area Served: Connecticut
Age Group To Be Served: 18-40
Contact Information
Contact Prefix (Mr,Mrs etc.): Mrs.
Contact First Name: Paula
Contact Last Name: Grimm
Contact Title: Development Associate
Contact Phone: 203-488-6800
Contact Email: pgrimm@readtogrow.org