Kaslo Improves Local Literacy

A grant of $60,000 from Literacy Now Communities enabled the Kaslo literacy task group to offer Books on Wheels, a home book delivery service; Parents Reading Children Succeeding, for parents and pre-school children; Family Night Out, a themed evening for parents and children to play and learn; and Stress Free Reading, a workshop that offers parents tips to help children with reading at home. In addition, some programs were expanded such as Mother Goose, that teaches through songs and rhymes; and Parent and Child Time, a drop-in activity program that includes a parenting book lending library.

Additional programs include English as a second language classes; Families Behind Books that gives families donated and purchased children's books; Authors' Series featuring adult and children's authors; Books for Babies; a Speaker Series for adults; Story Time for children aged three and up; and Family Literacy Day events.

Literacy Now Communities guides communities through a planning process to identify and address local literacy needs. The program focuses on building partnerships, networking and sharing best practices within BC's communities and regions. There are currently 96 task groups throughout BC working to improve local literacy. Literacy Now Communities is supported by the Province of British Columbia.