The Children’s Reading Foundation of the Mid-Columbia Receives Grant From The Wildhorse Foundation for a New Program: Let’s READ! Mid-Columbia

The Children’s Reading Foundation of the Mid-Columbia (CRFMC) will provide families with a tote bag containing an age-appropriate book, magnetic letters, tools, a small whiteboard, and bilingual instructions for activities that families can easily do at home. These tools and training educate and empower families to incorporate reading and play at home with a $8,500 grant from the Wildhorse Foundation. 

Let’s READ Mid-Columbia targets children from birth to age 8 and their families, recognizing parents as a child’s first teacher. Many families are unsure how to engage their children in literacy activities. To address this, we provide hands-on training and practical strategies for daily routines like read-alouds, daily conversations, and interactive play, emphasizing purposeful reading and talking.

“Early shared reading fosters foundational literacy skills like phonemic awareness and print concepts, crucial for academic success. It also strengthens caregiver-child bonds, creating a positive association with reading.” says Leanne Luehrs-Purcell, CRFMC Executive Director, “By investing in early literacy, we build educational equity, especially for underserved populations.”
Each year, the Wildhorse Foundation makes grants to eligible nonprofit, government, and Tribal organizations within the homeland area of the Cayuse, Umatilla, and Walla Walla people. Also eligible for funding are Tribal government agencies or Indian charitable organizations with their base of operations within Oregon, as well as national or regional Indian organizations. 

The Wildhorse Foundation has awarded a total of over $18 million in grant funding since its establishment in 2001. Grants are awarded on a quarterly basis with the deadlines being January 1, April 1, July 1, and October 1. For more information, visit the Foundation’s website at www.thewildhorsefoundation.com.