Learning Through Art has been named this year’s recipient of the Childhood Literacy Grant, presented by the Scripps Howard Foundation, Greater Cincinnati Foundation and WCPO. The grant awards $100,000 to a local nonprofit that brings books and other literacy resources to Tristate neighborhoods in need.
“We are beyond honored and excited to be recognized for our work to bring the Books Alive! For Kids literacy program into the community to wrap children and their families in reading and resilience,” said Kathy Wade, Learning Through Art CEO and co-founder. “This grant will provide us the opportunity to open up our program to the entire region and continue our mission of forming deep and meaningful relationships between families, neighbors, and communities through shared experiences of reading.”
Books Alive! For Kids: Family Wrap is LTA’s signature program combining literacy and arts-based education into meaningful learning activities. The program is designed to mitigate the impacts of adverse childhood experiences by strengthening parent-child relationships and providing tools to help children and their families become more resilient. Programs include family adventures and family literacy nights that empower parents and caregivers to engage children in reading, as well as build literacy and other life skills.
LTA’s first grant-funded initiative will transform the Books Alive! For Kids program into a free online learning experience to engage children and families with the reading program at home. The program will include a virtual BA!FK Backpack that can be downloaded from the website, as well as the debut of BA!FK-TV, an entertaining and instructional show available on Learning Through Art’s Youtube channel.
Together, these two new offerings will provide a read-aloud of the featured story, vocabulary practice, craft and chat activities and more. Both are set to launch in the coming weeks.