Pictured (L-R): Laura Huddleston, Head of the Children’s Department at the Mattoon Public Library was presented with the $1,500 CommunityWorks grant from Steve Matheny, member of the Mattoon Area Community Foundation board.
The Mattoon Area Community Foundation is pleased to announce that the Mattoon Public Library is the recipient of a $1,500 grant from the Mattoon Area CommunityWorks Fund for the expansion of its First Grade! First Card! Program.
The First Grade! First Card! Program promotes reading and learning by partnering with the Mattoon Community Schools to distribute de-activated library cards to all first grade students in the district (including private schools). Students are encouraged to fill out an information booklet with their families and return to the Mattoon Public Library to activate the card. In an effort to increase the number of activated library cards through the First Grade! First Card! Program, the Mattoon Public Library will be implementing family literacy nights at schools within the Mattoon Community School District. Students and their siblings will be given a free book and will have the opportunity to sign up for library cards at these events.
This program focuses on first grade students because early literacy development is crucial to overall success in school and the Mattoon Public Library facilitates this development by being available to students and families year round.
The Mattoon Area CommunityWorks Fund is one of the grant-making funds managed by the Southeastern Illinois Community Foundation. For more information, contact Janeen Emory-Kolb at 217-342-4988 or by e-mail (jemorykolb@enrichingourcommunity.org).
