Fort Vancouver Regional Library (FVRL) Foundation has been selected to receive a generous $10,000 grant from the Qwest Foundation. These funds will be used to create 1,000 “Hello, Baby!” Book Bags that will be distributed to new parents and caregivers throughout Southwest Washington.
"Qwest is very pleased to support the outstanding work FVRL is doing with young families in Southwest Washington," said Kirk Nelson, Qwest President for Washington. "Support for education is the focus of our Foundation in Washington and early childhood learning is a critical component of that."
Because Learning Begins at Birth….
The “Hello, Baby!” Book Bag program was created by the Fort Vancouver Regional Library (FVRL) District to help educate the parents of newborns in Southwest Washington about the importance of early learning and the significant impact reading to infants can have on early brain development. Early Learning research has shown that 90 percent of brain development occurs before a child is old enough to enter kindergarten. FVRL District started the program after learning that the majority of new parents in its service area did not know about the dramatic impact that reading to infants and toddlers can have on their future learning skills. Jacquelyn Keith, Children’s Services Coordinator for the district reports, “We believe that making new parents aware their baby is born learning is absolutely essential. If we can increase the number of parents that read to their babies we will be providing a lifetime of benefits to those children.”
“Hello, Baby!” Book Bags are available in several languages including: English, Spanish, Russian and Chinese. Each bag contains the following materials:
• Two (2) carefully selected infant board books with large, bright pictures
• A coupon to redeem a third board book, at no-charge, at any FVRL library or bookmobile.
• “Read to Your Baby”, a guide filled with tips, facts and other information about the importance of early learning
• An application for baby’s first library card
• A booklist of suggested reading materials for new mothers and babies
• Washington State Guide to finding Quality Child Care
• Information from SELF (Support for Early Learning and Families)
• Early Learning resources available through ESD112
Each year, FVRL District delivers more than 3,000 “Hello, Baby!” Book Bags to new
mothers in Clark, Klickitat, Skamania and portions of Cowlitz counties through 40 partnering agencies including local hospitals, churches, free clinics, and other community organizations.
For more information about the “Hello, Baby!” Book Bag program, or other early learning programs available at your local library, please contact: Jacquelyn Keith (360) 699-8818.
About the Qwest Foundation
The Qwest Foundation awards grants to community-based programs that generate high-impact and measurable results, focusing on pre-K through grade 12 education.
About Fort Vancouver Regional Library Foundation
The Foundation is a non-profit organization created in 1990 to fund the continued
development and enhancement of quality library services in the Fort Vancouver
Regional Library District. Activities of the Foundation include:
o Funding innovative projects that would not otherwise be funded through tax revenues
o Managing a depository for bequests and financial gifts made on behalf of the regional library
o Recognizing and promoting the work of Fort Vancouver Regional Library volunteers
o Supporting the Friends of the Library groups through administrative and other services
o Serving as advocates on issues that are important to the Library
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