Literacy Coalition Distributes $11,000 in Grants to Struggling Literacy Programs

August 4, 2021 — FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

With no funds from the annual Peter Gzowski Invitational (PGI) available this summer, the Literacy Coalition of New Brunswick instead used funds from the Marian Zaichkowski Endowment Fund to provide grants to nine literacy programs which struggled due to the pandemic.

LCNB was unable to host its annual PGI event this year due to COVID-19. This meant that many programs across New Brunswick missed out on PGI funding.

11 applications for grants were received and a total of $11,000 was distributed to the following programs: Friends of the Fredericton Public Library, Carleton North Imagination Library Inc., Upper Miramichi Community School Library Summer Tutoring Program, Sussex Regional Library Summer Program, Adult Literacy Fredericton, MGR Robichaud Public Library, Hampton Alliance for Lifelong Learning Summer Family Literacy Program, Commission de la Bibliothèque Carrefour Beausoleil, and Bibliothèque publique de Grand-Sault.

“Despite not being able to host our annual PGI this year, we were glad to be able to support these very worthy literacy programs that have struggled financially due to COVID,” said Executive Director, Lynda Homer. “The work they do is extremely important.”

The distributed funds are being used for everything from community story walks to one-on-one tutoring programs.

“We are very appreciative of the literacy grant and are doing really great things with the grant,” said Krista Higgins, Library Assistant at the Upper Miramichi Community Library. “We have great students enrolled and are seeing really positive results–and very thankful parents, guardians, and students.”

The LCNB Endowment Fund was established in 2004 and renamed the Literacy Coalition of New Brunswick Marian Zaichkowski Endowment Fund in 2008 to honour the founding chair.

“We look forward to when we can host the PGI again, but for now we are proud to be able to distribute nine grants,” Homer said.

The Literacy Coalition of New Brunswick provides leadership to advance literacy, lifelong learning and essential skills for all citizens through partnerships and collaboration with government, educational institutions, business, labour, community organizations and individuals.

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For more information contact Lynda Homer, LCNB Executive Director

(506) 457-1227 or toll-free: 1 (800) 563-2211 or email: lcnb@nbliteracy.ca

Additional links:

Literacy Coalition of New Brunswick: https://nbliteracy.ca/