Governors Early Literacy Foundation

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 DELIVER BOOKS EACH MONTH TO CHILDREN FROM BIRTH TO AGE FIVE, THROUGH DOLLY PARTON'S IMAGINATION LIBRARY, TO FOSTER A LOVE OF READING AT AN EARLY AGE. THIS PROGRAM IS A GIFT OF UP TO 60 HIGH-QUALITY, AGE-APPROPRIATE BOOKS, SELECTED BY A BLUE RIBBON COMMITTEE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION EXPERTS, TO BUILD A CHILD'S HOME LIBRARY BEFORE KINDERGARTEN. DOLLY PARTON'S IMAGINATION LIBRARY IS AVAILABLE TO ALL AGE-ELIGIBLE TENNESSEE CHILDREN THROUGH A UNIQUE PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP WITH GELF AND AFFILIATE PROGRAMS IN EACH OF TENNESSEE'S 95 COUNTIES. WITH VITAL FINANCIAL SUPPORT FROM THE TENNESSEE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, FOUNDATIONS, AND CORPORATE SPONSORS, GELF FUNDS HALF THE COST OF IMAGINATION LIBRARY BOOKS FOR ENROLLED CHILDREN STATEWIDE, SUPPORTING GRASSROOTS ORGANIZERS IN EACH OF TENNESSEE'S 95 COUNTIES AS THEY RAISE THE OTHER HALF OF THE COST OF BOOKS FOR ENROLLED CHILDREN IN THEIR COUNTY. SINCE 2004, WE HAVE MAILED OVER 45 MILLION BOOKS TO CHILDREN STATEWIDE. FROM JULY 1, 2020 TO JUNE 30, 2021, GELF MAILED 3,442,968 BOOKS TO ENROLLED CHILDREN STATEWIDE. DURING THIS PERIOD, 73,737 CHILDREN WERE NEWLY ENROLLED IN THE PROGRAM, AND 68,157 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 SEVENTEENTH 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 GELF'S STATEWIDE PROGRAM FUNDING IS DERIVED FROM ITS STATE-APPROVED ANNUAL GRANT. THE PROGRAM HAS EXPERIENCED CONTINUED GROWTH NOW SERVING 70% OF THE STATE'S AGE-ELIGIBLE POPULATION, MAILING APPROX. 286,000 BOOKS EACH MONTH. 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: THROUGH OUR STORYBOOK TRAIL PROGRAM, WE COLLABORATE WITH TENNESSEE STATE PARKS CONSERVANCY AND LOCAL PARKS TO CREATE OUTDOOR READING EXPERIENCES WHERE FAMILIES INTERACT THROUGH LITERACY AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY. THIS PROGRAM PRESENTS A CHILDREN'S STORYBOOK ON CHILD-HEIGHT PANELS ALONG A SHORT TRAIL TO PROMOTE ADULT-CHILD INTERACTION AROUND BOOKS AND NATURE. EACH PANEL FEATURES A READING TIP TO ENCOURAGE FAMILY ENGAGEMENT BY BRINGING THE BOOK TO LIFE FOR CHILDREN. GELF'S STORYBOOK TRAIL PROGRAM NOW INCLUDES 36 TRAILS IN TENNESSEE, INCLUDING LOCATIONS AT 21 STATE PARKS, 14 CITY PARKS AND ONE BOTANICAL GARDEN AND ESTATE. FROM JULY 1, 2020 TO JUNE 30, 2021, GELF SUPPORTED 18 STORYBOOK TRAILS TO BE LAUNCHED AT PARKS IN TENNESSEE WITH 38,000+ TOTAL TRAIL VISITORS REPORTED DURING THAT PERIOD.

BOOK BUS: THROUGH OUR BOOK BUS PROGRAM, WE PARTNER WITH LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEMS TO ESTABLISH MOBILE LIBRARIES THAT PROVIDE CHILDREN AND COMMUNITIES WITH ACCESS TO HIGH-QUALITY LITERACY 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 OFTEN PARTNER WITH LOCAL FOOD PROGRAMS AND PRIORITIZE TRAVELING TO HIGH-NEEDS NEIGHBORHOODS OVER THE SUMMER; DURING THE STOPS, EDUCATORS READ ALOUD TO CHILDREN, LEAD READING WORKSHOPS TO PROVIDE FAMILIES WITH THE TOOLS TO HELP CHILDREN STRENGTHEN EARLY LITERACY SKILLS, AND GIVE AWAY BOOKS. THE PROGRAM LAUNCHED IN JULY 2018 WITH SEVEN BUSES IN NORTHEAST TENNESSEE. WITH SUPPORT FROM PRIVATE FUNDING PARTNERS, GELF SUPPORTED 18 BOOK BUSES IN 2021. TEN OF THESE BUSES OPERATED OVER THE SUMMER. COLLECTIVELY, THEY TRAVELED MORE THAN 7,000 MILES, SERVED ALMOST 25,000 CHILDREN, AND DISTRIBUTED 30,000 BOOKS TO FAMILIES. THE OTHER EIGHT BUSES WERE PROVIDED THE SEED FUNDING THEY NEEDED TO BUILD A BUS AND WILL BEGIN SERVING FAMILIES IN 2022. 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.