{"id":397043,"date":"2020-12-10T06:03:09","date_gmt":"2020-12-10T11:03:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.marketnewsdesk.com\/?p=397043"},"modified":"2020-12-10T06:03:09","modified_gmt":"2020-12-10T11:03:09","slug":"weinberg-foundation-announces-additional-5-million-to-expand-and-strengthen-baltimore-library-project","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.marketnewsdesk.com\/index.php\/weinberg-foundation-announces-additional-5-million-to-expand-and-strengthen-baltimore-library-project\/","title":{"rendered":"Weinberg Foundation Announces Additional $5 Million to Expand and Strengthen Baltimore Library Project"},"content":{"rendered":"

\nTotal Foundation Commitment to Initiative Grows to $15 Million
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Baltimore, Dec. 10, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation today announced an additional $5 million in funding to support the Baltimore Elementary and Middle School Library Project, also known as the Library Project. This grant brings the Foundation\u2019s total commitment to this initiative to $15 million. The new funding will provide operating support for the existing 15 libraries, as well as capital funds for the development of four new libraries through 2023.<\/p>\n

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The Baltimore Library Project is a multi-year collaborative effort among the Weinberg Foundation, the State of Maryland, Baltimore City Public Schools, and more than 30 community and government partners. In its ninth year, this initiative designs, builds, equips, and staffs new or renovated elementary\/middle school libraries in neighborhoods where many students face academic and economic challenges. To learn more about the Library Project\u2019s history and growth please click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThe Library Project was the Foundation\u2019s first signature initiative when it launched in 2011,\u201d said Ambassador Fay Hartog-Levin (Ret.), Weinberg Foundation Chair and Trustee. \u201cBy 2024, the Library Project will have leveraged more than $30 million in additional federal, state, and local funds. The Foundation is extremely pleased with the growth and impact of this project, the tangible difference it is making in the first 15 schools, and the collaboration that has driven this initiative.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u201cThe Library Project exemplifies the potential and power of partnership,\u201d noted Dr. Sonja Brookins Santelises, Chief Executive Officer, Baltimore City Public Schools. \u201cThe value and impact of our educators and curricula are multiplied when other sectors join and support our work in such meaningful ways\u2014not only academically, but also by providing critical services that contribute to each student\u2019s personal well-being, enhancing their ability to learn.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Partnerships are integral to the success of the Library Project. Some Library Project partners are involved with library design, construction, and operation, while others provide support intended to meet a range of personal needs for students, including nutritious food, winter coats, and family engagement services. Many Library Project libraries also host SummerREADS, a drop-in literacy program that combines reading activities, free meals, and hands-on workshops with the goal of preventing learning loss over the summer months. By the spring of 2021, 7,700 children\u2014more than 13 percent of all Baltimore City Public School elementary and middle school students\u2014will have directly benefited from this initiative.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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“Access to books, to a school library, and to professional library staff has been shown to increase the reading scores of children,\u201d noted Heidi M. Daniel, Chief Executive Officer, Enoch Pratt Free Library. \u201cWhen we have discussions on how to build equity, trust, and a future for our city, libraries should always be part of the conversation.\u00a0Enoch Pratt Free Library is proud to partner with the Weinberg Foundation on the Library Project, which we view as a critical investment in Baltimore’s future.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u201cAs we have said since the beginning, the Library Project is a statement made to the entire community that our children in Baltimore City deserve the best,\u201d said Rachel Garbow Monroe, Weinberg Foundation President and CEO. \u201cIt has been documented that a well-equipped, well-staffed, well-resourced library can help to override the negative impacts of poverty on student achievement.\u00a0While the final chapter of the Library Project has not yet been written, the story so far is most encouraging.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Wanting to ensure that the Library Project was using a successful model, the Weinberg Foundation has completed two separate evaluations in recent years, which included the following findings:\u00a0<\/p>\n

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