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 47 MILLION BOOKS TO CHILDREN STATEWIDE. FROM JULY 1, 2021 TO JUNE 30, 2022, GELF MAILED 3,432,536 BOOKS TO ENROLLED CHILDREN STATEWIDE. DURING THIS PERIOD, 71,937 CHILDREN WERE NEWLY ENROLLED IN THE PROGRAM, AND 68,214 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 EIGHTTEENTH 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 APPROPRIATION. THE PROGRAM HAS EXPERIENCED CONTINUED GROWTH SINCE INCEPTION, 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, GELF COLLABORATES 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 47 TRAILS IN 36 TENNESSEE COUNTIES, INCLUDING LOCATIONS AT 24 STATE PARKS, 17 CITY PARKS, 10 LIBRARIES AND ONE BOTANICAL GARDEN AND ESTATE.

BOOK BUS: THROUGH OUR BOOK BUS PROGRAM, WE PARTNER WITH LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEMS TO ESTABLISH MOBILE LIBRARIES THAT PROVIDE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES 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. MANY OF THE BOOK BUSES ARE FOCUSED ON SERVING CHILDREN IN AREAS THAT FACE CHALLENGES TO ACCESSING BOOKS, SUCH AS LIBRARY DESERTS, LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES, OR RURAL AREAS WHERE TRANSPORTATION TO A BOOKSTORE OR LIBRARY IS DIFFICULT. SOME BOOK BUSES OPERATE YEAR-ROUND, WHILE OTHERS PRIORITIZE SERVICE OVER THE SUMMER, WORKING TO PREVENT SUMMER LEARNING LOSS. MANY ALSO PARTNER WITH LOCAL FOOD PROGRAMS AND HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS, PROVIDING A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO OFFER WRAP-AROUND SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY. DURING THE STOPS, EDUCATORS ON THE BUS READ ALOUD TO CHILDREN, LEAD READING WORKSHOPS TO PROVIDE FAMILIES WITH THE TOOLS TO HELP CHILDREN STRENGTHEN EARLY LITERACY SKILLS, AND GIVE AWAY BOOKS. 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. THE PROGRAM WAS LAUNCHED IN 2018. FROM JULY 1, 2021 - JUNE 30, 2022, 60,000 INDIVIDUALS WERE SERVED BY 31 BOOK BUSES TRAVELING 7,098 MILES AND DELIVERING OVER 213,909 BOOKS TO FAMILIES.