GOVERNORS EARLY LITERACY FOUNDATION
312 ROSA L PARKS AVE 27TH FL, NASHVILLE, TN 37243 www.governorsfoundation.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: THE MISSION OF GOVERNOR'S EARLY LITERACY FOUNDATION IS TO STRENGTHEN EARLY LITERACY IN TENNESSEE. WE DO THIS BY SERVING AS A THOUGHT LEADER, ADVISOR AND CATALYST TO SUSTAIN EARLY LITERACY PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN STATEWIDE, INCLUDING STORYBOOK TRAILS, BOOK BUSES AND BOOK DELIVERY THROUGH DOLLY PARTON'S IMAGINATION LIBRARY. OUR EARLY LITERACY MISSION IS DRIVEN BY A LONG-TERM GOAL TO INCREASE 3RD GRADE READING PROFICIENCY IN TENNESSEE AND HELP ENSURE A PROSPEROUS FUTURE FOR THE STATE. THIRD GRADE READING PROFICIENCY IS THE BENCHMARK WHERE CHILDREN TRANSITION FROM "LEARNING TO READ" TO "READING TO LEARN." THIS BENCHMARK IS A KEY INDICATOR FOR A CHILD'S FUTURE EDUCATIONAL SUCCESS AND WORKFORCE READINESS. WE PARTNER WITH A NETWORK OF VOLUNTEERS, DONORS AND ORGANIZATIONS TO HELP CHILDREN BUILD EARLY LITERACY SKILLS FROM CRADLE TO CAREER. OUR VISION IS A TENNESSEE WHERE ALL CHILDREN HAVE ACCESS TO THE RESOURCES, GUIDANCE AND SUPPORT THEY NEED TO BECOME LIFELONG LEARNERS.

GBBF/GELF'S MISSION IS TO STRENGTHEN EARLY LITERACY IN TENNESSEE, SERVING AS A THOUGHT LEADER AND AMPLIFIER OF EARLY LITERACY PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN STATEWIDE.

BOOK DELIVERY THROUGH DOLLY PARTON'S IMAGINATION LIBRARY: THROUGH OUR BIRTH-5 BOOK DELIVERY PROGRAM, WE PARTNER WITH DOLLY PARTON'S IMAGINATION LIBRARY TO PROVIDE EVERY TENNESSEE CHILD FROM BIRTH TO AGE FIVE WITH A BOOK EACH MONTH AT NO COST TO FAMILIES, DELIVERED RIGHT TO THEIR MAILBOX. FROM JULY 1, 2019 TO JUNE 30, 2020, GELF MAILED 3,420,322 HIGH QUALITY, AGE-APPROPRIATE BOOKS TO ENROLLED CHILDREN STATEWIDE. DURING THIS PERIOD, 59,499 CHILDREN WERE NEWLY ENROLLED IN THE PROGRAM, AND 68,172 CHILDREN GRADUATED FROM THE PROGRAM AS THEY REACHED THE MAXIMUM PARTICIPATION AGE. ALL 95 TENNESSEE COUNTIES CONTINUED TO MAINTAIN THEIR AFFILIATE IMAGINATION LIBRARY PROGRAMS THROUGH CHILD ENROLLMENT, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND LOCAL FUNDRAISING TO COVER THEIR 50% BOOK AND MAILING COST COMMITMENT OF APPROX. $1.07 PER BOOK. GELF, NOW IN ITS SIXTEENTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR OF SERVICE, CONTINUED TO PROVIDE A GRANT EQUALING THE REMAINING 50% OF THE COST OF THESE IMAGINATION LIBRARY (IL) BOOKS FOR EACH COUNTY. THE PRIMARY SOURCE OF GOVERNOR'S EARLY LITERACY FOUNDATION'S STATEWIDE PROGRAM FUNDING IS DERIVED FROM ITS STATE-APPROVED ANNUAL GRANT. IT IS NOTABLE THAT OVER THE PAST SEVEN YEARS, FROM SEPTEMBER 2013 THROUGH JUNE 2020, THE STATEWIDE PROGRAM HAS EXPERIENCED CONTINUED GROWTH EQUAL TO AN OVERALL INCREASE OF MORE THAN 32% IN THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN RECEIVING BOOKS. AS A RESULT, WE CONTINUE TO FUNDRAISE PRIVATELY ON BEHALF OF INDIVIDUAL COUNTIES AND TO BUILD CAPACITY FOR OUR STATEWIDE PROGRAM'S CONTINUED GROWTH. BASED UPON OUR DIVERSIFIED STRATEGIES AND METHODS TO INCREASE STATEWIDE ENROLLMENT, COUPLED WITH OUR TARGETED EFFORTS TO ENROLL CHILDREN AS NEWBORNS, WE EXPECT THIS GROWTH PATTERN TO CONTINUE. THE FIRST FIVE YEARS OF A CHILD'S LIFE ARE CRITICAL TO LANGUAGE AND VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT AND HAVING BOOKS IN THE HOME HAS PROVEN TO INCREASE SCHOOL READINESS AND FUTURE EDUCATIONAL SUCCESS. TENNESSEE RESEARCH SHOWS THAT CHILDREN WHO PARTICIPATE IN THE IMAGINATION LIBRARY PROGRAM ENTER KINDERGARTEN MORE PREPARED TO LEARN THAN THEIR NON-PARTICIPATING PEERS AND THAT CHILDREN WHO ARE ENROLLED IN THE PROGRAM FOR LONGER PERIODS OF TIME ARE MORE LIKELY TO SCORE HIGHER ON ACADEMIC ASSESSMENTS INTO THIRD GRADE. FURTHER, THIS RESEARCH INDICATES STUDENTS WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE PROGRAM ARE MORE LIKELY TO HAVE INCREASED SCHOOL ATTENDANCE AND LESS LIKELY TO BE SUSPENDED.

STORYBOOK TRAIL: FROM JULY 1, 2019 TO JUNE 30, 2020, GELF CONTINUED TO EXPAND ITS STORYBOOK TRAIL PROGRAM TO CREATE ENRICHING OUTDOOR READING EXPERIENCES FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES TO CONNECT LITERACY WITH A FUN, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY. THROUGH THIS PROGRAM, GELF PARTNERS WITH TENNESSEE STATE PARKS CONSERVANCY, CITY PARKS AND OUTDOOR AREAS TO PROVIDE A CHILDREN'S STORYBOOK, PRESENTED ON CHILD-HEIGHT PANELS, ALONG A SHORT TRAIL TO PROMOTE ADULT-CHILD INTERACTION AROUND BOOKS AND NATURE. THE TRAILS FEATURE READING TIPS ON EACH PAGE PANEL TO BRING THE BOOK TO LIFE WITH THE SURROUNDING NATURE. GELF'S STORYBOOK TRAIL PROGRAM NOW INCLUDES 18 TRAILS IN TENNESSEE, INCLUDING LOCATIONS AT 15 STATE PARKS, TWO CITY PARKS AND ONE BOTANICAL GARDEN AND ESTATE. FROM JULY 1, 2019 TO JUNE 30, 2020, TEN STORYBOOK TRAILS WERE LAUNCHED AT PARKS IN TENNESSEE WITH 38,000+ TOTAL TRAIL VISITORS REPORTED DURING THAT PERIOD.

BOOK BUS: IN JULY 2018, GELF LAUNCHED ITS BOOK BUS PROGRAM, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEMS, TO CREATE MOBILE LIBRARIES THAT PROVIDE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES WITH ACCESS TO HIGH-QUALITY RESOURCES. PARTNERING SCHOOL SYSTEMS RETROFIT DECOMMISSIONED SCHOOL BUSES WITH SEATING AND SHELVING TO HOUSE BOOKS AND LITERACY RESOURCES, CREATING A LEARNING SPACE FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES TO ENJOY. BUS PROGRAMS PARTNER WITH LOCAL FOOD PROGRAMS AND TRAVEL TO HIGH-NEEDS NEIGHBORHOODS OVER THE SUMMER, AND EDUCATORS ON THE BUS LEAD READING WORKSHOPS TO PROVIDE FAMILIES WITH THE TOOLS TO HELP CHILDREN STRENGTHEN EARLY LITERACY SKILLS. WITH SUPPORT FROM THE APPALACHIAN REGIONAL COMMISSION AND PRIVATE FUNDING PARTNERS, GELF'S BOOK BUS PROGRAM NOW INCLUDES EIGHT BUSES IN EAST TENNESSEE. DURING THE SUMMERS OF 2018 AND 2019, GELF'S BOOK BUSES TRAVELED 1,180+ HOURS, DISTRIBUTING 9,300+ BOOKS TO CHILDREN AND FAMILIES. RESEARCH SHOWS THAT TWO TO THREE MONTHS OF READING PROFICIENCY IS LOST FOR STUDENTS WHO DO NOT READ OVER THE SUMMER, CAUSING A STUDENT TO BE BEHIND IN ACHIEVEMENT GAINS FOR THE UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR. READING FOUR TO SIX BOOKS HAS THE POTENTIAL TO MITIGATE, STOP OR EVEN REVERSE "SUMMER SLIDE." BOOK BUSES FOSTER EARLY LITERACY AND WORK TO PREVENT THE "SUMMER SLIDE" IN STUDENTS.

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