Blog #6 - Response - My Community Partner

 Larry Feirman State & Local Government

February 4, 2021 Assignment- Blog #6

Blog #6

Your Community Partner organization is probably, on some level, solving a perceived problem that exists at a state or local level. Service delivery relating to homelessness, food insecurity, academic progress, childcare, discrimination, job training, interview preparation, day worker safety, environmental problems, and so much more are all examples of functions that state or local governments might attempt to address, and community organizations are often the means by which they address them. 

Q: What problem(s) is your Community Partner (CP) trying to address? How can members of the community in which it operates help through their participation? In what ways does this serve an end of a local government entity? Use conversations with your CP if you can, along with the concepts outlined in your textbook to answer these questions. 

Project READ fuels the fire of hope through literacy. They believe literacy is not only a human right, but also a necessity, a gift of opportunity and hope for the future. 

"Project Read has 6 City funded positions, the State of California matches local funding, donations and grant funds raised for Adult and Family programs.  Project Read is not the non-profit program because the City houses us at the Library and pays for the 6 staff members .  We do have a non-profit ( 501c3) Board -Redwood City Friends of Literacy that is dedicated to raising funds and qualifies for grant funding  to support the Project Read programs 

It’s a little confusing.  It’s probably easiest to understand if you think of a partnership of the State Literacy Campaign, local government and Redwood City Friends of Literacy working together to provide literacy intervention to the most in need in our community."

    Established in 1987, Project READ is a free, volunteer-based literacy program serving adults, children and families. They are a four-time award-winning organization committed to providing literacy training throughout a diverse community. Tutoring lessons are student-centered, focusing on reading, writing and critical thinking skills and are supported by the generous help of volunteers. Intergenerational programs are designed to break the cycle of illiteracy by surrounding adults, youth and families with literacy services that promote education and a lifelong love of learning.

Population Served

    Project READ’s adult and youth programs are committed to the literacy needs of the community, focusing on unincorporated Redwood City, the North Fair Oaks area and Redwood City’s most underserved neighborhoods and schools. One in five adults in Redwood City reads below an 8th grade level and more than 38% of school-aged children fail to complete the 12th grade. Within the North Fair Oaks area, where the majority of children, teens and families live, there are few options available for after-school activities in safe and supportive educational environments.

Impact

• Provide youth services to 350 academically at-risk students, grades 1 – 12

• Provide adult services to 400 adults in the community and correctional facilities

• Increase reading skills by an average of 3.0 grade levels in one year

• Train 150 new volunteer tutors

• Distribute 3,000 children’s books to help build home libraries of the families in our program

• Increase grades of students in the Project READ programs and offer a safe and supportive learning environment. 

• Provide early literacy activities for children whose parents are receiving tutoring and who do not have access to pre-school. 

• Provide teen students who have been identified by schools as academically at-risk with tutoring, mentoring and opportunities to graduate from high school or earn their GED, attend college and improve their career options.

    The state and Federal funding to Redwood City falls short of the community needs, especially in the areas of education, after school programs, and specific training programs to prepare students for college or work programs.

    The program is part of the City of Redwood City Library system. Staff members are city employees.  Being a non-profit is how Project Read gets funding for many of our supplies.  Volunteers are an integral part of the services delivered at all levels.