Children
The Gift of Reading
The Gift of Reading background
Seeking to set up a unifying project that would have an impact on illiteracy and enable the public to make a yearly gesture, a gift to reach the Literacy Foundation’s target clientele, Sophie Labrecque, the Foundation’s former Chief Executive Officer, had the original idea for the Gift of Reading program. The program was defined during the infamous ice storm in 1998, in conjunction with some teacher friends Sophie was sheltering. It was a true revelation, as well as representing a commitment from all the partners with a natural link with reading: authors, publishers, bookstore owners, librarians, educators and readers. Starting in 1994, and based on its research on Family and literacy, the Foundation became one of the first to be interested in prevention and, in the past 12 years, with The Gift of Reading, to reach hundreds of underprivileged families at risk of illiteracy.
With this project, the Foundation has placed itself at the very source of the problem of illiteracy by implementing concrete steps to reach the subjects at highest risk: children aged 0–12. It introduces a recreational device to families while attracting the attention of the parent who is a weak or occasional reader, whom the Foundation can also help through the Info-Alpha referral line.
By giving the gift of reading, we are giving far more than words alone: we are giving a child the power to act and influence his world according to his dreams.
For almost 12 years, 255,000 poor children have received
the gift of a brand new book!
*The 1999-2000 edition of the program was held in Metropolitan Montreal only, while subsequent editions took place across Quebec.