Roaring Fork Valley Early Learning Fund

TO ENGAGE CHILDREN FROM BIRTH TO AGE 5 IN A ROUTINE OF DAILY BOOK SHARING WITH THEIR PARENTS TO FOSTER HEALTHY BRAIN DEVELOPMENT, PARENT-CHILD BONDING, AND EARLY LITERACY SKILLS CRITICAL FOR SCHOOL AND LIFE SUCCESS.

BOLSITAS ROJAS/LITTLE RED BAGS OUTREACH FILLS A NEED FOR OUR MOST UNDERSERVED CHILDREN AND PARENTS. THESE PARENT-CHILD EARLY LITERACY FAMILY NETWORKS BRING TOGETHER FAMILIES OF CHILDREN NOT ENROLLED IN PRESCHOOL. IN WEEKLY, HOUR-LONG "PRESCHOOL" SESSIONS THAT INCLUDE PARENTS, RAISING A READER STAFF MODEL STORYTIME, PROVIDE PRESCHOOL ACTIVITIES AND ENCOURAGE PARENT ENGAGEMENT, POSITIVE LITERACY BEHAVIORS, AND FAMILY DYNAMICS AND WELL-BEING AT HOME. THESE SESSIONS ALSO INCLUDE THE WEEKLY ROTATION OF OUR RED BOOK BAGS. THIS PROGRAM HAPPENS IN OUR NINE PUBLIC LIBRARIES AND ONE FIREHOUSE.

OUR INNOVATIVE, EVIDENCE-BASED LITERACY PROGRAMS PROVIDE ROBUST AND EQUITABLE EARLY CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES AND RESOURCES FOR CHILDREN FROM ASPEN TO PARACHUTE SO THAT PARENTS CREATE A FAMILY-READING ROUTINE AND A HEALTHY HOME LIFE, WHICH PREPARE THEIR CHILD TO ENTER KINDERGARTEN READY TO LEARN. OUR RED BOOK BAGS PROMOTE PARENT-CHILD BONDING AND INCREASE READ-ALOUD TIME AT HOME BY PROVIDING FAMILIES OF PRESCHOOL AND KINDERGARTEN CHILDREN WITH 75+ HIGH-QUALITY BOOKS DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR. EACH WEEK OVER 600 CHILDREN TAKE HOME A DIFFERENT RED BAG FILLED WITH 3-4 BOOKS TO READ WITH THEIR PARENTS, ENJOY BY THEMSELVES, AND RETURN FOR A NEW BAG THE FOLLOWING WEEK. EACH BAG PROVIDES RESOURCES TO MOTIVATE PARENTS TO READ AT HOME WITH THEIR FAMILIES REGULARLY. OUR SUMMER CAMP IS A PARENT-CHILD, EARLY-LEARNING PARENT NETWORK THAT HAS EXPANDED INTO FOUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES SERVING UP TO 110 FAMILIES. THESE CAMPS COMBINE AN OUTDOOR EXPERIENCE WITH EARLY CHILDHOOD LITERACY AND LEARNING EXPERIENCES.

123 LET'S READ GIFTS ONE BOOK PER MONTH TO EACH PARTICIPATING PRESCHOOL TEACHER AND EVERY STUDENT IN THEIR CLASS. WITH EACH BOOK, RAR STAFF PROVIDES CUSTOMIZED SUGGESTIONS FOR HOME ACTIVITIES TO STIMULATE BRAIN DEVELOPMENT, ENHANCE VOCABULARY, AND MOTIVATE AT-HOME READING. EACH CHILD RECEIVES SEVEN BOOKS A YEAR TO BUILD THE ALL-IMPORTANT HOME LIBRARY.

BLUE BAG LIBRARY DAYS INTRODUCES OVER 800 CHILDREN WHO PARTICIPATE IN ONE OF OUR BOOK PROGRAMS TO LOCAL LIBRARIES SO THEY AND THEIR FAMILIES CAN ACCESS BOOKS AND OTHER RESOURCES. CHILDREN RECEIVE A RAISING A READER BLUE LIBRARY BAG TO KEEP AND CARRY THEIR LIBRARY BOOKS TO AND FROM HOME. THEY ALSO RECEIVE THEIR FIRST LIBRARY CARD AND INFORMATION ABOUT SUMMER READING PROGRAMS, THUS PROMOTING LIFELONG PUBLIC LIBRARY USE.