Community Grants to Date

2009 Grantees

Argo Community High School, Argo Reads Program ­— $1,000

Argo Reads is a school-wide book club that is one of the library’s newest initiatives to foster literacy. The library also participates in the Illinois State Library-sponsored Read for a Lifetime promotion.

B.E.S.T. Adult Literacy Program — $5,000

This is a second-chance program geared to individuals who read at a level lower than the ninth grade. BEST serves residents in Englewood/West Englewood and the surrounding area.

Book Worm Angels — $5,000

Book Worm Angels is Chicago’s only literacy program providing in-classroom lending libraries to public elementary schools where the majority of students read below grade level.

Bread for the Head — $5,000

Bread serves low-income children in after-school programs in Chicago and Cook County. Its mission is to provide children with new books, encourage pleasure-reading and create an ongoing community of readers.

Cabrini-Green Tutoring Program, Inc — $5,000

The Cabrini-Green Tutoring Program is dedicated to defining and responding to children’s needs and to creating instructional programs that educate and boost self-esteem. Since 1965, the program has helped thousands of students grow both personally and academically.

Good News Partners — $3,000

The After School Reading Program provides after-school remedial reading instruction through one-on-one tutoring to children who have fallen behind their peers in reading. The goal of the program is to enhance the reading skills and comprehension of its participants.

Holy Family Ministries, LitART Program — $3,000

Holy Family Ministries operates after-school programs for children at risk of low academic achievement and social/cultural isolation. The LitART curriculum utilizes popular children’s literature and targeted activities to engage children in reading. The program is designed for use in urban after-school programs.

Literacy Works — $5,500

Literacy Works is a collaborative literacy training and support project of 50 member organizations operating literacy programs in more than 30 communities across Chicago.

Literature for All of Us — $5,000

Literature for All of Us has been connects children and teen parents to their strengths through literature, engaging them in book groups where they read and discuss literature and write poetry. This nurturing literacy model creates a sense of accomplishment, self-esteem and hope.

St. Pius V Paris/Casa Juan Diego Youth Center, The Little Saints Readers Summer Reading Program — $1,500

Casa Juan Diego is a youth center in the Pilsen community that promotes literacy and reading for enjoyment among children ages six through 16.

Sit Stay Read! Inc. — $5,500

Sit Stay Read! is a Chicago-based volunteer literacy organization that brings dogs and kids together to make reading fun. Its programs allow children to read aloud to specially trained therapy dogs. The dogs increase confidence and generate excitement about reading.

Sue Duncan Children’s Center — $5,500

Sue Duncan has been teaching kids at her South Side Chicago after-school children’s center since 1960. Her center focuses on addressing the educational and social issues that inner-city kids face.

2008 Grantees

Argo High School #2 – $1,000

Argo Reads is a school-wide book club entering its third year. The book club is one of the library’s newest initiatives to foster literacy. The library also participates in the Illinois State Library-sponsored Read for a Lifetime promotion.

BEST Adult Literacy Program – $5,000

This is a second chance program geared to those individuals who read at a level lower than the ninth grade. BEST serves residents in Englewood/West Englewood and the surrounding area.

Book Worm Angels – $5,500
Book Worm Angels is Chicago’s only literacy program providing in-classroom lending libraries to public elementary schools where the majority of students read below grade level.

BREAD for the Head – $5,000
BREAD serves low-income children in after-school programs in Chicago and Cook County. BREAD’s mission is to provide these children with new, quality books, encourage pleasure-reading and create an ongoing community of readers.

Cabrini Green Tutoring – $5,000
For 40 years the Cabrini-Green Tutoring Program has been dedicated to defining and responding to children’s needs and to creating quality, innovative instructional programs that are not only educational, but boost self-esteem. Since 1965, CGTP has helped thousands of students grow both personally and academically.

Casa Juan Diego – $1,500
Casa Juan Diego is a youth center in the Pilsen community that promotes literacy and reading for enjoyment among children ages 6 through 16.

Good News – $5,000
The After School Reading Program provides after school remedial reading instruction through one-on-one tutoring to children who have fallen behind their peers in reading. The goal of the program is to enhance the reading skills/reading comprehension of its participants.

Good News Partners – $3,000
Good New Partners “Reading Coaches” began in 1998 to provide one-to-one tutoring services for the students at the Gale Academy in East Rogers Park. During the current school year, 16 first graders and 16 second graders are receiving individual tutoring and 70 students are receiving small-group tutoring.

Holy Family Ministries – $3,000
Holy Family Ministries (HFM) operates after-school programs for children at risk of low academic achievement and social/cultural isolation. In 2005, HFM initiated the LitART curriculum, which utilizes popular children’s literature and targeted activities to engage children in reading. The LitART Program is specifically designed for use in urban after-school programs and serves 20 second and third graders in the Cabrini Green area.

Literacy Works – $5,500
Literacy Works is a collaborative literacy training and support project of 50 member organizations operating literacy programs in more than 30 communities across Chicago. Its mission is to fulfill the promise of a basic human right: the right to read, write and interpret the world.

Literature for All of Us – $5,000
For the past ten years, Literature for All of Us has been connecting girls and teen mothers, and now boys, to their strengths through literature, engaging them in book groups where they read and discuss literature and write poetry. This nurturing literacy model creates a sense of accomplishment, self-esteem and hope. In their book groups, young people learn to “make sense of the world” as they “make sense of the word.”

Sit, Stay, Read – $5,500
SIT STAY READ! is a Chicago-based volunteer literacy organization that brings dogs and kids together to make reading fun. SIT STAY READ! programs allow children to read aloud to specially trained therapy dogs. The dogs increase confidence and generate excitement about reading.

Sue Duncan Child Center – $5,500
Sue Duncan has been teaching kids at her South Side Chicago after-school children’s center since 1960. Her center focuses on addressing the educational and social issues that inner-city kids face, but not without her own unique style of teaching.

2007 Grantees

Alain Locke Charter School – $500
The Alain Locke Charter Academy operates a take-home reading program for 25-50 inner-city kindergarten students from the Garfield Park area of Chicago. Students are be able to choose an animal they are interested in learning about, research their subject using a variety of media and create a multimedia presentation.

Argo High School #2 – $1,500
Argo Reads is a school-wide book club entering its second year. The book club is one of the library’s newest initiatives to foster literacy. The library also participates in the Illinois State Library-sponsored Read for a Lifetime promotion.

BEST Adult Literacy Program – $7,000
This is a second chance program geared to those individuals who read at a level lower than the ninth grade. BEST serves residents in Englewood/West Englewood and the surrounding area.

Book Worm Angels – $8,000
Book Worm Angels is Chicago’s only literacy program providing in-classroom lending libraries to public elementary schools where the majority of students read below grade level.

BREAD for the Head – $4,000
BREAD serves low-income children in after-school programs in Chicago and Cook County. BREAD’s mission is to provide these children with new, quality books, encourage pleasure-reading and create an ongoing community of readers.

Cabrini Green Tutoring – $8,000
For 40 years the Cabrini-Green Tutoring Program has been dedicated to defining and responding to children’s needs and to creating quality, innovative instructional programs that are not only educational, but boost self-esteem. Since 1965, CGTP has helped thousands of students grow both personally and academically.

Casa Juan Diego – $1,500
Casa Juan Diego is a youth center in the Pilsen community that promotes literacy and reading for enjoyment among children ages 6 through 16.

Good News – $7,000
The After School Reading Program provides after school remedial reading instruction through one-on-one tutoring to children who have fallen behind their peers in reading. The goal of the program is to enhance the reading skills/reading comprehension of its participants.

Good News Partners – $3,000
Good New Partners “Reading Coaches” began in 1998 to provide one-to-one tutoring services for the students at the Gale Academy in East Rogers Park. During the current school year, 16 first graders and 16 second graders are receiving individual tutoring and 70 students are receiving small-group tutoring.

Holy Family Ministries – $3,000
Holy Family Ministries (HFM) operates after-school programs for children at risk of low academic achievement and social/cultural isolation. In 2005, HFM initiated the LitART curriculum, which utilizes popular children’s literature and targeted activities to engage children in reading. The LitART Program is specifically designed for use in urban after-school programs and serves 20 second and third graders in the Cabrini Green area.

Jane Addams Elementary School – $700
The Dolores Kohl Education Foundation supports the development of early literacy skills through many innovative programs. A Rock For Reading grant funded the Kohl StoryBus at this school.

Literacy Works – $8,000
Literacy Works is a collaborative literacy training and support project of 50 member organizations operating literacy programs in more than 30 communities across Chicago. Its mission is to fulfill the promise of a basic human right: the right to read, write and interpret the world.

Lutheran Day Care – $1,000
Lutheran General Children’s Day Care was founded in 1979 and currently serves 550 children throughout Chicago. Lutheran General Children’s Day Care embraces a child-centered philosophy. LGCDC’s immediate needs are to improve the quality and quantity of literacy experiences by adding books sensitive to the needs of the children and their families as well as books written in various languages.

Mark Twain School – $700
The Dolores Kohl Education Foundation supports the development of early literacy skills through many innovative programs. A Rock For Reading grant funded the Kohl StoryBus at this school.

One to One Learning Center – $8,000
Founded in 1972, One-to-One Learning Center has helped more than 40,000 children in the Chicago area to develop their learning skills. Its outreach programs include Read-to-Win! Now in its 10th year of operation, Read-to-Win! has reached more than 7,000 students and distributed more than 20,000 books to children and more than 60,000 books to schools.

Sit, Stay, Read – $8,000
SIT STAY READ! is a Chicago-based volunteer literacy organization that brings dogs and kids together to make reading fun. SIT STAY READ! programs allow children to read aloud to specially trained therapy dogs. The dogs increase confidence and generate excitement about reading.

Sue Duncan Child Center – $8,000
Sue Duncan has been teaching kids at her South Side Chicago after-school children’s center since 1960. Her center focuses on addressing the educational and social issues that inner-city kids face, but not without her own unique style of teaching.

Wilmette Odyssey Expedition – $5,000
The Wilmette Odyssey Expedition mission is to establish after-school reading and writing programs at multiple at-risk elementary schools where no after-school programs exist.