Community Foundation awards Sandburg Literacy Coalition $12,000 grant

Posted on Feb. 4. 2013 via the Carl Sandburg College website 

The Carl Sandburg College Literacy Coalition has been awarded a $12,000 2012 Core Mission Grant by the Quad Cities Community Foundation, located in Bettendorf, Iowa.

“Receiving this grant makes a big difference to the services we can provide,” literacy coordinator Karen Avalos said. “The cost of some of the instructional materials we use has nearly doubled in the last 10 years. Because of this grant, we can continue to provide tutoring, tutoring materials and tutor training free of charge.”

The funds will be used for instructional materials, leadership events for adult learners and volunteer training to support the coalition’s adult volunteer literacy program in Knox County.”

“I’m so pleased that the Quad Cities Community Foundation realizes the incredible value the College provides to our community and is choosing to support our efforts” Sandburg President Dr. Lori Sundberg said. “Even though we are not a part of their immediate community, we are grateful that the Community Foundation chose to include us in their funding decisions. It’s not often you find a community foundation willing to support another community. I think it speaks to the incredible efforts the College makes.”

Established in 1986, Carl Sandburg College Literacy Coalition serves those who are 17 and older, not in public school and function below a ninth-grade level. The coalition is a member of ProLiteracy Worldwide and receives funding from the Illinois State Library Literacy Office, the Illinois Community College Board, United Way of Knox County, Dollar General Literacy Foundation and donations from individuals and local organizations.

The Community Foundation accepts donations by private, charitable parties and makes investments with those gifts by distributing grants to nonprofit organizations and to address community needs. The foundation also teams with 14 other affiliate community organizations in eastern Iowa and western Illinois as well as partnering with local groups to achieve community action-oriented goals.