Celebrating A Decade in the Books
Last year in 2018, as we started to look back at a decade of A to Z Literacy Movement, we realized just how much of an impact we have made both locally and globally. It’s often important to look “back to the future.” Looking back gives us perspective and focus on how to move forward. The future of A to Z Literacy looks very bright indeed!
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Our Board, local students, supporters, and volunteers have become woven into the fabric of our mighty little nonprofit! Annual events are established, and so many people have FUN while raising money to get books into the hands of vulnerable children in McHenry County, other local areas, and around the world.
Whether it’s fundraisers such as “Libations for Literacy,” dodgeball tournaments at the District #47 local middle schools OR fiction/nonfiction “books in a bag” created by Crystal Lake AVID students or those at Monomoy High School in Harwich, Massachusetts, or the Christmas book drive at Good Shepherd Hospital…so many people help us reach our goals. It takes a village…and thankfully our “village” continues to expand each year.
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We have been blessed with the opportunity to help others, but gain so much for ourselves…an appreciation for education around the world, the compassion of teachers in challenging circumstances, and the commitment to students and also their own professional learning.
Take a few minutes to listen to an interview with Jonathan and learn more about this amazing young man.
Mission: A to Z Literacy Movement is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization that improves the lives of impoverished children through literacy development. Currently, the organization’s activities are primarily focused in Zambia, Africa.
Need: Zambia’s children are especially vulnerable. The AIDS/HIV epidemic has ravaged Zambia and is responsible for 40% of Zambian children (aged 16 and under)being orphaned. This severe public health crisis coupled with Zambia’s poverty level (near the world’s worst ranking) has resulted in a country in which average life span is just 40 years old. Literacy development is critical for rebuilding Zambia’s economy and improving public health education efficacy.
Approach: Literacy development requires more than books. A to Z and its partners in Zambia provide a variety of resources necessary for effective literacy promotion including book delivery, local literacy support, and high-quality teacher instruction.
Partners and Supporters: Strong relationships with indigenous organizations are essential for success. A to Z works directly with local organizations that understand the specific challenges and solutions associated with literacy development in the region, such as All Kids Can Learn International and Shine Reading Academy.
Goals:
To provide professional development for 125 Zambian teachers
To provide books locally for at-risk children and students with special needs
To ship four separate shipments of children's books to impoverished communities/schools
To build partnerships while providing professional development to schools in Zambia
“Literacy is at the heart of sustainable development.” — Kofi Annan
OUR MISSION & GOALS