Kosciusko Literacy Services Receives Big Read Grant

July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.

By Staff Report-

Kosciusko Literacy Services today announced that it has received a grant of $15,000 to host The Big Read in Kosciusko County.
The Big Read is a program of the National Endowment for the Arts, designed to revitalize the role of reading in American culture by exposing citizens to great works of literature and encouraging them to read for pleasure and enrichment. The Big Read is managed by Arts Midwest.
Kosciusko Literacy Services is one of 77 nonprofit organizations to receive a grant to host a Big Read project between September and June 2015. The Big Read in Kosciusko County will focus on Ray Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451.” Activities will take place in spring 2015.
KLS Executive Director Cindy Cates stated, “Kosciusko Literacy Services is very grateful to the National Endowment for the Arts for awarding the grant and to the TCU Foundation for awarding a $2,000 matching grant. The support from the NEA will allow KLS to broaden the scope of the community book read.  Planned activities include a literary expo titled ‘Light the Fire of Reading,’ speaking engagements with a Ray Bradbury biographer, book discussions and contests.  Libraries, schools and businesses are collaborating to make The Big Read successful.”
NEA Acting Chairman Joan Shigekawa said, “While the act of reading is usually a solitary one, through the Big Read it will become a social one. This year’s Big Read grant recipients are not only playing an important role in encouraging reading but are also developing creative opportunities to involve all members of their communities  to come together to discuss and celebrate these great works on literature.”
The Big Read provides communities nationwide with the opportunity to read, discuss and celebrate one of 36 selections from U.S. and world literature. The 77 selected organizations will receive Big Read grants to promote and carry out community-based reading programs featuring activities such as read-a-thons, book discussions, lectures, movie screenings and performing arts events. The NEA has also developed high-quality, free-of-charge educational materials to supplement each title, including reader’s guides, teacher’s guides and audio programming, all of which are available to the public on neabigread.org
For more information about The Big Read, visit neabigread.org
Kosciusko Literacy Services fosters literacy and provides literacy programming for Kosciusko County residents from birth to senior citizens. KLS’s mission is to increase the literacy levels of all citizens of the community by implementing innovative, comprehensive programs using a collaborative effort from the community; increasing public awareness of literacy issues facing adults, children and families; and providing trained volunteer tutors for adult students. KLS’s goals for The Big Read are to: promote a sense of community; illustrate the 40 developmental assets; promote reading for pleasure, the love of literature and life-long learning; and increase literacy awareness.
The National Endowment for the Arts was established by Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government. To date, the NEA has awarded more than $4 billion to support artistic excellence, creativity and innovation for the benefit of individuals and communities. The NEA extends its work through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies and the philanthropic sector. To join the discussion on how art works, visit the NEA at arts.gov
Arts Midwest promotes creativity, nurtures cultural leadership, and engages people in meaningful arts experiences, bringing vitality to Midwest communities and enriching people’s lives. Based in Minneapolis, Arts Midwest connects the arts to audiences throughout the nine-state region of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin. One of six non-profit regional arts organizations in the United States, Arts Midwest’s history spans more than 25 years. For more information, visit artsmidwest.org
The TCU Foundation was established to support the Credit Union Vision of being a positive force in the communities served by Teachers Credit Union. The Mission of the TCU Foundation is “To promote financial literacy, education and other opportunities and causes supported by the membership, which directly benefit the communities in which TCU operates.” TCU Foundation fulfills their mission by: promoting the credit union philosophy of “People Helping People,” advancing financial literacy, connecting people with resources for education, employment, and character building advancement and building stronger communities.[[In-content Ad]]

Kosciusko Literacy Services today announced that it has received a grant of $15,000 to host The Big Read in Kosciusko County.
The Big Read is a program of the National Endowment for the Arts, designed to revitalize the role of reading in American culture by exposing citizens to great works of literature and encouraging them to read for pleasure and enrichment. The Big Read is managed by Arts Midwest.
Kosciusko Literacy Services is one of 77 nonprofit organizations to receive a grant to host a Big Read project between September and June 2015. The Big Read in Kosciusko County will focus on Ray Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451.” Activities will take place in spring 2015.
KLS Executive Director Cindy Cates stated, “Kosciusko Literacy Services is very grateful to the National Endowment for the Arts for awarding the grant and to the TCU Foundation for awarding a $2,000 matching grant. The support from the NEA will allow KLS to broaden the scope of the community book read.  Planned activities include a literary expo titled ‘Light the Fire of Reading,’ speaking engagements with a Ray Bradbury biographer, book discussions and contests.  Libraries, schools and businesses are collaborating to make The Big Read successful.”
NEA Acting Chairman Joan Shigekawa said, “While the act of reading is usually a solitary one, through the Big Read it will become a social one. This year’s Big Read grant recipients are not only playing an important role in encouraging reading but are also developing creative opportunities to involve all members of their communities  to come together to discuss and celebrate these great works on literature.”
The Big Read provides communities nationwide with the opportunity to read, discuss and celebrate one of 36 selections from U.S. and world literature. The 77 selected organizations will receive Big Read grants to promote and carry out community-based reading programs featuring activities such as read-a-thons, book discussions, lectures, movie screenings and performing arts events. The NEA has also developed high-quality, free-of-charge educational materials to supplement each title, including reader’s guides, teacher’s guides and audio programming, all of which are available to the public on neabigread.org
For more information about The Big Read, visit neabigread.org
Kosciusko Literacy Services fosters literacy and provides literacy programming for Kosciusko County residents from birth to senior citizens. KLS’s mission is to increase the literacy levels of all citizens of the community by implementing innovative, comprehensive programs using a collaborative effort from the community; increasing public awareness of literacy issues facing adults, children and families; and providing trained volunteer tutors for adult students. KLS’s goals for The Big Read are to: promote a sense of community; illustrate the 40 developmental assets; promote reading for pleasure, the love of literature and life-long learning; and increase literacy awareness.
The National Endowment for the Arts was established by Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government. To date, the NEA has awarded more than $4 billion to support artistic excellence, creativity and innovation for the benefit of individuals and communities. The NEA extends its work through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies and the philanthropic sector. To join the discussion on how art works, visit the NEA at arts.gov
Arts Midwest promotes creativity, nurtures cultural leadership, and engages people in meaningful arts experiences, bringing vitality to Midwest communities and enriching people’s lives. Based in Minneapolis, Arts Midwest connects the arts to audiences throughout the nine-state region of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin. One of six non-profit regional arts organizations in the United States, Arts Midwest’s history spans more than 25 years. For more information, visit artsmidwest.org
The TCU Foundation was established to support the Credit Union Vision of being a positive force in the communities served by Teachers Credit Union. The Mission of the TCU Foundation is “To promote financial literacy, education and other opportunities and causes supported by the membership, which directly benefit the communities in which TCU operates.” TCU Foundation fulfills their mission by: promoting the credit union philosophy of “People Helping People,” advancing financial literacy, connecting people with resources for education, employment, and character building advancement and building stronger communities.[[In-content Ad]]
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