OWATONNA, MN, June 22, 2017 – Fillmore Central Community Education was one of 29 organizations to receive donated books through Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation’s (SMIF) BookStart program, which awarded a total of 10,000 books valued at $186,375.00, is one of SMIF’s early childhood efforts focused on providing resources so all children can have a healthy life of learning, achieving, and succeeding.
Studies consistently show that reading at a young age drastically improves a child’s educational trajectory. Not only does reading aloud help children acquire early language skills, it fosters curiosity and memory and helps children develop positive associations with reading. Given this research, SMIF partnered with Capstone to launch BookStart with the goal of helping our region’s children begin to build their own home library. Over the past 13 years, BookStart has reached thousands of children and parents through programming and the distribution of approximately 100,000 books across southern Minnesota to promote a life-long love for reading.
“Reading should be fun, accessible and engaging, for both children and their caregivers. Capstone has been a great long-time partner with our BookStart program as we work to make sure all of our region’s children have a book at home to read or be read to by family members,” said SMIF’s President and CEO, Tim Penny. “We believe investing in our young children is a long-term strategy that will pay big dividends for our communities and businesses.”
Fillmore Central Community Education was selected to receive 250 books valued at $4,657.50, because they provide outstanding early literacy opportunities for young children and their families within Harmony, Preston and Fountain. Fillmore Central Community Education will incorporate the books into their Reading BINGO that children eight years of age and under have an opportunity to take part in. When a child’s BINGO card is blacked out and they have met their BINGO challenges, young children will receive one of the books to take home to keep. To join these efforts or learn more, contact Angi Kaase at (507) 765-3809.
“We are excited to offer this opportunity to children in a broad range of age groups. Having the opportunity to work so closely with School Readiness, Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE), Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE), Daycare, SAC and the communities around us, we see children at all different reading levels. With the BookStart Grant, we are able to provide for a child eight years of age who is a fluent reader all the way down to an infant who is being read to,” said Fillmore Central’s Community Education Director, Angi Kaase. “The books that were provided are amazing! When picking up the books, it felt like Christmas all over again!”
As part of it’s strategy to invest in economic growth here in southern Minnesota, SMIF has supported early childhood efforts to make certain all children enter school fully encouraged, prepared, and supported for learning success. Through their efforts, $1 million has been invested in early childhood education annually within the 20-county region over the past ten years. For more information on SMIF’s Early Childhood Initiative partnerships and resources, contact Teri Steckelberg at teris@smifoundation.org
About Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation
Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF), a donor-supported foundation, invests for economic growth in 20 Minnesota counties. The Foundation has provided more than $50 milling in grants and loans within the region during the past 30 years. SMIF’s key interests include early childhood and entrepreneur development. To learn more about our work and mission call (507) 455-3215 or visit www.smifoundation.org.
About Capstone
Capstone is a leading publisher of children’s books in nonfiction and fiction, digital products and services and literacy programs. Capstone’s content comes in a variety of print and digital formats including board books, picture books, interactive books, apps, audio and databases. Imprints under Capstone include Capstone Press, Stone Arch Books, Picture Window Books, Heinemann Raintree and Compass Point Books. For more information, visit www.CapstonePub.com.