NCFL Announces 3 Million Grant from Toyota to Expand Hispanic Family Literacy Program

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NCFL Announces $3 Million Grant from Toyota to Expand Hispanic Family Literacy Program

Program to launch in five additional cities
05/31/2006 Louisville
May 31, 2006 - Louisville - According to the National Assessment of Adult Literacy, released in December, the nation's largest minority population is also the only U.S. demographic that has seen its overall literacy rates decline in the last 15 years. The National Center for Family Literacy (NCFL) and Toyota are leading the effort to change that disturbing trend through the Toyota Family Literacy Program (TFLP), the only program of its kind aimed at improving the literacy of both children and parents, together.

Today, NCFL announced a $3 million grant from Toyota to expand the highly successful Toyota Family Literacy Program into five additional communities across the country, marking the third expansion of the program since it launched in 2003. School districts in each of the five communities to be selected will receive a $600,000 award in direct funding, training, education materials and assistance from NCFL to implement the program. Toyota has donated more than $26 million to NCFL during its 15 year partnership.

"With Toyota's support, NCFL has continuously pioneered educational strategies that address the most urgent literacy needs of families," said NCFL president & founder Sharon Darling. "Through the strong bonds of Hispanic families, we can unlock their learning potential to dramatically improve the educational attainment and economic situation for multiple generations."

NCFL and Toyota established the Toyota Family Literacy Program in 2003 to serve communities with significant and fast-growing Hispanic populations. The program was expanded in 2006 to an additional five communities. Prior communities receiving grants are New York; Los Angeles; Chicago; Washington, D.C.; Providence, R.I.; Denver; Santa Paula, Calif.; Chelsea, Mass.; Detroit; and Shelby County, Ala.

The Toyota Family Literacy Program increases basic language and literacy skills among Hispanic and other immigrant families, and provides parents with the skills they need to help their children succeed in school. The program specifically serves children in kindergarten through third grade and their parents. TFLP is unique because it incorporates NCFL's multicultural family literacy model which combines key components including: ESL courses, early childhood education, parenting education, Parent and Child Together (PACT) activities, and computer-literacy instruction.

The first five communities that initiated the Toyota Family Literacy Program have proven the success of NCFL's model by achieving impressive results for children and adults including:
• Significant literacy gains by adults, the majority of which improved their literacy scores by one or more levels;
• Ratings for children in the program exceeded peers in areas including academic performance, motivation to learn, attendance, classroom behavior, involvement in classroom activities and other areas;
• Demand for the program has produced waiting lists at the majority of program sites; and
• By the end of the first program year, 70 percent of participating families held a library card.

"Once in the program, I was introduced to a whole new world," said Ana Arredondo, a parent in the Toyota Family Literacy program in Chicago. "I am currently working on obtaining my GED, I'm now the lead computer instructor for the Community Learning Center in Chicago and I recently became a homeowner. Now, my children know they can count on me in helping them with their schoolwork."

"We are pleased to expand the Toyota Family Literacy Program into five additional communities. The fact that this is the third expansion of the program is a testament that NCFL's approach to family literacy works," said Patricia Pineda, group vice president, Toyota Motor North America. "Our partnership with NCFL has proven to be a perfect combination for helping families across the country increase their literacy skills and become active in their communities and in their children's lives."

Urban as well as rural communities are encouraged to apply for consideration to receive a grant, which will be awarded based on a competitive application process. School districts interested in applying for a grant must download, complete and return a capability survey by June 30, 2006, which is the first step in the selection process.

For more information about this exciting opportunity, including media coverage of the first 10 cities awarded, visit www.famlit.org.

ABOUT NCFL
The National Center for Family Literacy, the worldwide leader in family literacy, was founded in Louisville in 1989. NCFL has impacted 1 million families and trained 150,000 teachers, practitioners and advocates. To learn more or to donate to this effort, call 1-877-FAMLIT or visit www.famlit.org. For more information on this grant opportunity, contact Sylvia Leishoff at 502-584-1133 ext. 156 or by e-mail at sleishoff@famlit.org.

ABOUT TOYOTA
Since 1991, Toyota and NCFL have forged successful programs to promote family literacy in the United States. Including this grant, Toyota has contributed more than $26 million to help NCFL establish model family literacy programs. Today, the Toyota/NCFL partnership accounts for more than 196 family literacy sites in 33 cities and 24 states. More information is available at www.toyota.com/about/community/education/.