For Immediate Release
June 23, 2005
Contacts:
703-324-8313
703-324-8300
Representative Moran honored for support of Literacy Outreach Program
Fairfax, VA - The Fairfax Library Foundation hosted an open house for its Motheread®/Fatheread® program on Tuesday, June 21 at the Lafayette Apartments located on Groveton Gardens Road in Alexandria. Roberta A. Longworth, the executive director of the Library Foundation, made a special presentation to Representative Jim Moran (D-VA) for securing $100,000 in funding for the Motheread®/Fatheread® program through the federal omnibus appropriations bill.
Motheread®/Fatheread® helps children from low-income families, and those with limited English, develop reading skills. Parents are taught to improve family communication through reading books to their children and discussing concepts introduced by the stories. The program provides children’s books so that families can read together at home.
The open house included a session with approximately 20 children chaperoned by their parents or caregivers. Congressman Moran stressed the importance of reading to children within the first five years. Hunter Mill Supervisor, Cathy Hudgins drove across the County to attend the event to learn more about the successful literacy program that will soon be expanded into the Reston area. Remarks were also made by Mary Knapp, the director of community outreach for the Library Foundation; Carolyn Tabarini, academies director from Communities in Schools; and a program participant. Refreshments were sponsored by Guest Services, Inc.
The Motheread®/Fatheread® program was launched in 2002. Last year, the program has served 4,800 children and 3,872 adults. Nearly 7,400 books have been given to participants in 314 Motheread®/Fatheread® sessions.