Reading Street Micro-Grants to promote family literacy

Through the Reading Street initiative, which is funded by TD Bank Group, the PEI Writers’ Guild is pleased to award micro-grants to ten community groups for projects that will celebrate and promote family literacy throughout the month of October.

The challenges of COVID-19 haven’t stopped the readers of Prince Edward Island. While previous years brought authors and readers together in a one-day event, this year Reading Street is working with community partners to host their own events.

Reading Street micro grants were awarded to:

Camp Awesome: Author reading from Camp Awesome author, Sarah Dykerman (October 3)
Confederation Centre Public Library: Creation and distribution of 500 bilingual early literacy and numeracy kits for toddlers and preschoolers. These bilingual activity kits include a simple craft, a book recommendation and a literacy tip for caregivers. (Available October 5)
Julie Pellissier-Lush and the Heritage Actors: Storytellers, poets, and published authors gathering (October 11)
Friends of the Rotary Regional Library (Summerside): Creation of two reusable, pop-up StoryWalks®, one in English and another in French, to encourage families to enjoy reading and the outdoors by displaying laminated pages from a children’s book along an outdoor path. (October 12)
Mi’kmaq Family Resource Centre: Indigenous Storyteller/Elder will share an Indigenous story with off-reserve Indigenous families at the Centre (October 22).
Mi’kmaw Confederacy: Writing workshop for Indigenous youth (ages 18 to 30). Participants will receive kits that include a book of Indigenous culture, traditions, or a children’s book written by an Indigenous author, along with a scribbler and pencil to write their own story and some information on literacy. (October 23⁾Patsy Dingwell: Launch and reading of Patsy’s new book Broken Crayons (Acorn Press), along with a slideshow of Farmers Helping Farmers School Twinning Project, which provided inspiration for the book. (October 24)
PEI Association for Newcomers to Canada: Engaging newcomer youth in literacy by recording reading excerpts from Anne of Green Gables in their original language (October 25)
Canadian Parents for French: Virtual and in-person readings of Anna’s Pink and Purple Glasses to grades 1-4 French immersion classrooms.
Girl Guides of Canada, Summerside Sparks: PEI author Marlene Bryenton will read her book Jaya’s Magic Wheelchair to the Sparks, opening discussion around disabilities and inclusion.