Dr. Seuss Foundation Awards Almost $900,000 in 2024 Grants to Local Literacy Programs

The Dr. Seuss Foundation is a catalyst for early literacy development in all its forms. The Foundation creates partnerships and funds programs that inspire learning, spark imagination, and expand opportunities for all children. The Dr. Seuss Foundation (DSF) implements this mission by supporting programs that enhance literacy development from birth through third grade.

SINCE ITS FOUNDING IN 1958, DSF HAS BEEN GIFTING TO A VARIETY OF LOCAL AND REGIONAL CHARITABLE CAUSES. THE FOUNDATION IS PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN SUPPORTING EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAMS THAT HELP CHILDREN ENTER SCHOOL READY TO LEARN AND THRIVE.

It is with that focus that DSF is pleased to have awarded in 2024 $890,375 in grants to 15 nonprofits that support one or more of five interconnected types of literacy:

• Language
• Arts and Creativity
• Social and Emotional
• Reading, Writing, Math
• The Environment

2024 Grantees: 

• Basic Assistance to Students In the Community
• Boys & Girls Club of San Marcos
• Boys & Girls Club of Vista
• Cal Poly Pomona
• Chicano Federation of San Diego County
• Diamond Educational Excellence Partnership (DEEP)
• Library Foundation SD
• Literacy Partners
• Monarch School Project
• The New Children’s Museum
• Reading Legacies
• San Diego Natural History Museum
• San Diego Youth Symphony and KeyNote
• Words Alive
• YMCA of San Diego County

Courtesy of San Diego Youth Symphony

Read on to learn more about the grantees and their programs!

Basic Assistance to Students In the Community – The Latino Family Literacy Project is dedicated to improving literacy rates in rural Borrego Springs.

Boys & Girls Club of San Marcos – The BGCSM Bookworms program promotes academic success and reading comprehension among elementary school-aged youth.

Boys & Girls Club of Vista – BGCV will expand the Words Alive program and the Scholastic R.E.A.L. read-aloud mentoring program and support Education Belongs At Home, which provides free books to youth.

Cal Poly Pomona – In partnership with the Chicano Federation of San Diego County, Cal Poly Pomona promotes language and literacy development and learning in young children through a series of workshops focused on bilingual learning for local teachers and families.

Chicano Federation of San Diego County – The Enhancing Early Literacy through Engaging Storytelling and Sensory Activities program will foster early literacy skills in children aged 0-5 who are enrolled at Chicano Federation’s preschool in Barrio Logan.

Diamond Educational Excellence Partnership (DEEP) – DEEP’s 0-5 Preparing for Kindergarten program is a research-guided, place-based, collaborative effort that strengthens the capacity of caregivers to provide children with learning experiences that prepare them for kindergarten success.

Library Foundation San Diego – The EXCEL Student Library Card program is a collaboration between the San Diego Public Library and the San Diego Unified School District that ensures every local student has a connection to the library.

Literacy Partners – La Fuerza de Familias Latinas empowers Spanish-speaking parents in San Diego to support their children’s early literacy and development in their home language and culture.

Monarch School Project – The Early Education Program (EEP) provides services for unhoused children ages 0-5 and their families/caregivers in the Barrio Logan Community at The Chrysalis Center for the Arts.

The New Children’s Museum – The Museum’s Rx for Art + Play program partners with nearby pediatricians in under-resourced communities to prescribe free Art + Play kits, one-year Museum memberships, and free Museum parking for children and caregivers at their annual Well Child Check visits for ages 3-5.

Reading Legacies – Reading Legacies facilitates read-aloud experiences in preschool and childcare centers, homes, correctional facilities, and a variety of other community settings.

San Diego Natural History Museum – In partnership with First 5, Nature Buds Bilingual Activity Sets tap into the wonders of nature to inspire young learners to practice literacy skills and promote early literacy in children 0-5 throughout San Diego.

San Diego Youth Symphony and KeyNote – The San Diego Youth Symphony ChIMES Program implements county-wide early childhood music education for ages 0-5.

Words Alive – Words Alive creates environments that promote reading at 16 childcare and out-of-school-time sites across San Diego by training staff members, providing books, and equipping each site with the resources and support for ongoing program delivery.

YMCA of San Diego County – Character Builders offers dynamic before-and-after-school programs countywide that provide a safe and enriching environment for children, supporting early literacy needs of Transitional Kindergarten and Kindergarten students.