#GivingEveryTuesday: Literacy
Each Tuesday, SHARE Omaha features a unique cause theme for #GivingEveryTuesday and encourages you to give and support in any way you can! The #GivingEveryTuesday theme for March 5, 2024 is Literacy nonprofits. How will you give today to support local literacy efforts?
Nebraska Poetry Society
Charlene Pierce of Nebraska Poetry Society shares, "Literacy nonprofits provide access for those who are underserved, such as those in rural areas of Nebraska, low-income, minorities, or those at risk to gain resources they wouldn't have otherwise.
Nebraska Poetry Society provides literary and writing education to those who are at-risk or underserved and has watched these individuals gain confidence and communication skills to be a better participant in the workplace and their community.
"We invite professionals to join our board and help us take the next steps. We are a fast growing organization with over 130 members and a long list of services - we need help to continue growing and serving the community," sys Charlene.
Donate to Nebraska Poetry Society
DIBS for Kids
Angie Miller of DIBS for Kids says, "Literacy is foundational to academic, economic, and health outcomes."
Over 60% of low-income households do not have age-appropriate books at home and only 43% of students have access to a classroom library. A significant portion of Omaha is in a book desert. Third-grade reading proficiency is a significant predictor for high school graduation and breaking the cycle of poverty.
“Children from lower-income homes have limited access to books. Because of this, preschoolers from low-income families have fewer home and preschool language and literacy opportunities than children from economically advantaged backgrounds – a major reason that they lag behind in reading achievement throughout the school years," says Angie.
With nearly 1.2 million books taken home by DIBS students, DIBS students have nightly access to books, providing the joy of reading, greater independence and autonomy in reading, more family time reading, and statistically significant improvements in reading skills and proficiency.
"Of course, we need books! We also love volunteers to help create our individual student folders, inventory and label books, and assist in distributing books throughout the community to Free Little Libraries," says Angie.
Donate to DIBS for Kids Send books
Language and Culture School of Omaha
Mary Petersen of Language and Culture School of Omaha shares, "The health, success, and involvement of individuals in their community all depend on the communication skills of members. Meaningful communication is formed through the literacy skills of all participants. Our organization, the Language and Culture School of Omaha, is dedicated to helping the immigrant population obtain literacy skills in order to assist themselves, their families, and their community. This leads to full assimilation of new arrivals into community life."
LACSO has worked in Family Literacy programs, offered student teachers experience in working with adults with limited English skills, sponsored teacher workshops and provided in-service ESL seminars for educators. They have collaborated with many community organizations to offer adult language and citizenship opportunities, as well as local businesses and industries to offer on-site ESL language opportunities for workers. Through these partnerships, workers learn new language skills, are able to advance to supervisory positions, and are safer and more productive at work.
"We need the community to offer support to those immigrants who are interested in learning English and who want so much to fully establish themselves and their families in Nebraska," says Mary.
Donate to Language and Culture School of Omaha
Girls Inc. of Omaha
Tamara Marisett of Girls Inc. of Omaha shares, "Donating to literacy-focused nonprofits is vital as it empowers individuals by providing them with fundamental skills to access information, communicate effectively, and participate fully in society. These programs break poverty cycles by enabling access to education and economic opportunities. Improved literacy leads to better health outcomes, enhanced community cohesion, and stronger economies, ultimately contributing to global development goals."
Girls Inc. of Omaha contributes to positive change through essential social, educational, arts and STEM programs for girls in Omaha. They also have health and wellness programs to teach our youth about healthy habits and healthy living. Teaching these principles in childhood and adolescence give kids the tools they need to be healthy, well rounded and productive adults.
"Girls Inc. of Omaha needs continued support from the community to continue to impact the lives of our girls. Community members can get involved by becoming mentors to support and guide young people, or donating to fund educational programs and activities. We need support from our community in various forms, such as volunteer time, donations (both monetary and in-kind), advocacy, and spreading awareness about our cause and impact," says Tamara.