Georgia Magazine - October 2016 - 34
the facts of life ... in georgia
by the numbers
Children from homes without books are 50 percent more likely to start school as much as two
years behind their peers and are more likely to be reading well below level by third grade.
The gift of literacy
BY LAUREL GEORGE
Studies have shown that young
children who are read to regularly
and who have early access to books
usually become good readers. Yet
more than 61 percent of low-income
families in Georgia do not have a
single children's book in their homes.
Robin Ferst believes the problem of low-income children starting
school without basic pre-reading
skills is preventable. She created
the Ferst Foundation for Childhood
Literacy (FFCL) in an effort to improve childhood literacy, one book
at a time.
More than 61 percent of lowincome families in Georgia do not
have a single children's book in their
homes.
Children enrolled in the program
receive a free, age-appropriate book
every month until they are 5 years
old. A newsletter for parents accompanies each book, with a reading
guide and a story-related activity for
the child. It also emphasizes the importance of developing early literacy
34
skills in the home and encourages
parents to read frequently with their
children.
Georgia's electric membership
corporations (EMCs) have played
an important role in the work FFCL
is doing. Since its inception, more
than 20 EMCs have contributed in
excess of $170,000 to Ferst literacy
programs.
"GreyStone Power Foundation
stepped in when we were just getting our program in Douglas County
off the ground. With funding from
Operation Round Up, we were able
to get some of our youngest and
most vulnerable children registered,"
says Karen Emory, FFCL community
action team leader. "That support
made a huge difference in building important momentum for our
program."
The FFCL supports programs
in almost half of Georgia's counties, with the goal to expand statewide and help every child succeed
in school and in life. For more
information about FFCL programs
or to register a child, visit ferst
foundation.org.
More online at www.georgiamagazine.org
The FFCL has delivered
5 million books
to children in need.
The first book
enrolled children receive
is "Read to Me."
77 counties in Georgia
participate in FFCL
programs.
$36 per-child, peryear cost of the FFCL
program, funded entirely
through sponsorships
and donations
COURTESY FFCL
COURTESY FFCL
FFCL was founded in
Madison in 1999.
GEORGIA MAGAZINE
http://www.ferstfoundation.org
http://www.ferstfoundation.org
http://www.georgiamagazine.org
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Georgia Magazine - October 2016
Contents
Georgia Magazine - October 2016 - Intro
Georgia Magazine - October 2016 - Cover1
Georgia Magazine - October 2016 - Cover2
Georgia Magazine - October 2016 - 3
Georgia Magazine - October 2016 - Contents
Georgia Magazine - October 2016 - 5
Georgia Magazine - October 2016 - 6
Georgia Magazine - October 2016 - 7
Georgia Magazine - October 2016 - 8
Georgia Magazine - October 2016 - 9
Georgia Magazine - October 2016 - 10
Georgia Magazine - October 2016 - 11
Georgia Magazine - October 2016 - 12
Georgia Magazine - October 2016 - 13
Georgia Magazine - October 2016 - 14
Georgia Magazine - October 2016 - 15
Georgia Magazine - October 2016 - 16
Georgia Magazine - October 2016 - 17
Georgia Magazine - October 2016 - 18
Georgia Magazine - October 2016 - 19
Georgia Magazine - October 2016 - 20
Georgia Magazine - October 2016 - 21
Georgia Magazine - October 2016 - 22
Georgia Magazine - October 2016 - 23
Georgia Magazine - October 2016 - 24
Georgia Magazine - October 2016 - 25
Georgia Magazine - October 2016 - 26
Georgia Magazine - October 2016 - 27
Georgia Magazine - October 2016 - 28
Georgia Magazine - October 2016 - 29
Georgia Magazine - October 2016 - 30
Georgia Magazine - October 2016 - 31
Georgia Magazine - October 2016 - 32
Georgia Magazine - October 2016 - 33
Georgia Magazine - October 2016 - 33A
Georgia Magazine - October 2016 - 33B
Georgia Magazine - October 2016 - 33C
Georgia Magazine - October 2016 - 33D
Georgia Magazine - October 2016 - 34
Georgia Magazine - October 2016 - 35
Georgia Magazine - October 2016 - 36
Georgia Magazine - October 2016 - 37
Georgia Magazine - October 2016 - 38
Georgia Magazine - October 2016 - 39
Georgia Magazine - October 2016 - 40
Georgia Magazine - October 2016 - 41
Georgia Magazine - October 2016 - 42
Georgia Magazine - October 2016 - 42A
Georgia Magazine - October 2016 - 42B
Georgia Magazine - October 2016 - 42C
Georgia Magazine - October 2016 - 42D
Georgia Magazine - October 2016 - Cover3
Georgia Magazine - October 2016 - Cover4
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