Strategic Partner Highlights
The East Bay Community Foundation- “Together, we can” Since 1928, the East Bay Community Foundation has provided funding and leadership to nonprofit organizations in Alameda and Contra Costa counties. They currently are the stewards of over 500 donor advised funds, affiliate funds, and supporting foundations, through which they issued over $46 million in grants to Alameda and Contra Costa County non-profits last year. ...more details.
EBCF has funded SSL’s programming since 2008. SSL and EBCF both focus on transforming low-income communities by preparing children for academic success. Abbey Banks, former Director of Donor Engagement explains their decision to support SSL through substantial grants from their Community Fund and from several of their managed donor funds. “We support organizations that demonstrate leadership, advocacy, and produce measurable solutions. EBCF believes strongly that SSL is such an organization. Our conviction that early intervention (by third grade) will lead to the strongest impact, and that those who are successful in education are more likely to encounter economic opportunity in adulthood, is mirrored in SSL’s mission and activities.”
EBCF previously hosted a forum on “Why Third Grade Reading Scores Will Change California's Future”, at which SSL was one of the featured non-profits invited to share their successful strategies and outcomes. We are proud to be an EBCF partner and congratulate them on the impactful work they are doing to improve the lives of children and adults throughout the East Bay.
"Go Out and Do Good!" The Rogers Family Foundation Since the early stages of the SSL program, we have been fortunate to have the consistent support of the Rogers Family Foundation, whose Executive Director, Brian Rogers is personally committed to improving Oakland education.
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Brian Rogers has also improved educational opportunities for at-risk Oakland students by founding the Oakland Literacy Coalition (OLC) to bring together literacy service providers, foundations, businesses, Oakland city representatives, the Oakland Unified School District and other community partners, who strategically collaborate to “equip, at a proficient level, all Oakland children with the life skills of reading, writing, and communication by the end of third grade.” Super Stars Literacy is an active member of the OLC with two of its leaders chairing Major OLC task forces.
When asked what he considers to be the strongest aspects of SSL’s programming, Brian responded, “Super Stars Literacy sets the bar very high in terms of their expectations for their students, which has resulted in great improvement in the students’ literacy skills. SSL makes it a priority to integrate with the schools and coordinate the after-school programming with the school day curriculum.” He also values SSL’s commitment to putting the needs of the child first, and its ability to collaborate effectively with other organizations without compromising program integrity.
We look forward to a continued partnership with the Rogers Family Foundation in the years to come, and are pleased to be assisting the Oakland Literacy Coalition in their efforts to create a network of high quality early literacy resources.
The students participating in Super Stars Literacy have shown significant improvement in literacy sub-tests following their participation in the program. Our teachers also appreciate the coordination with the SSL program staff that links learning to the classroom curriculum and keeps both classroom and SSL staff informed regarding students needs in the area of academic, developmental, and emotional support.
Barbara J. Mims
Hoover Principal, Retired
Donors
Super Stars Literacy relies on the generous support of Individuals, Foundations and Businesses who share our conviction that every child deserves equal access to resources and opportunities to succeed, and who believe that our program of early literacy development and social/emotional supports can bring those opportunities to students entering school in underserved communities.
Over 90% of 3rd grade students from low socio-economic backgrounds in California are not proficient in reading. When these children enter school at age 5, many are barely able to recognize the alphabet or spell their own name. Literacy issues among young children in our schools is a serious problem. We invite you to be part of a solution! Join us today in our efforts to give the gift of reading, motivation and success to the children in our underserved communities.
2011-12 Program Year Supporters
