Grant Application for
PoWeR! Book Bags
Mission Statement:
The mission of PoWeR! Book Bags is to increase children's experiences with language, literacy, and human interactions so that they are better able to understand themselves, communicate with others, and connect with the world.
Fiscal agent if applicant is not tax exempt:
Tax ID Number:
81-2406342
Contact First Name:
Contact Last Name:
Kara
Gregory
Address:
P.O. Box 533, Suttons Bay, MI 49682
Email:
Phone Number:
231-343-0255
Website:
Project Name:
PoWeR! Book Bags and MIHP in Charlevoix and Emmet Counties
Project start and end dates:
June 1, 2023
May 1, 2024
Amount Requested:
$
4000
Project Description:
We are continuing our work with women and their children through the Maternal Infant Health Programs in Charlevoix and Emmet Counties. Women start with the MIHP program when they are pregnant and remain in the program until their babies reach 18-24 months. Each month, when the home visiting program professional from MIHP visits the family, they offer the family the choice of one age-appropriate book from PoWeR! Book Bags for each child in the home (typically up to age 6, but in the summer they may be older). In addition, each child also receives an age-appropriate bag of materials selected to promote language and literacy development. The books and materials are used to build Early Relational Health between the mom and the baby/children. The MIHP staff not only shares and models use of the materials, but is available to offer moms additional resources/guidance. Over time, the relationships between the mom and children grow, as does their home library and children's exposure to print!
Goal of the Project
How many people will you reach?
384
What percentage are female?
66
If your program serves both males and females, how will Hestia funds specifically target women and girls?
The Maternal Infant Health Program (MIHP) at the Health Departments in Charlevoix and Emmet Counties focuses on mothers and their babies. Our work with this home-visiting program increases the scope to also include the other siblings in the home through age six. The role of the visiting professional (our community partner) is to share our language and literacy materials with the mom to help her not only increase her child(ren's) development, but to support the Early Relational Health of both/all! When children and their mothers interact together over time, a bond is formed that lays the foundation for all of the child's future interactions in life. The early relational health impacts BOTH the mother and the child's well-being and overall health! For the children, it also increases resilience and builds a better brain -- leading to greater success academically, socially, and emotionally in the present AND in the future!
How are recipients identified or selected to receive services? Is financial need considered?
Because language development begins at birth, PoWeR! seeks to begin relationships with mothers and their children as early as possible. Research shows a correlation between income, the amount of print material in a home and reading proficiency. A word gap and an education equity gap exists between children from print 'rich' environments (homes with lots of reading and writing supplies) and those from print ‘poor’ environments. Children from print rich homes enter school with a larger, more developed vocabulary than those from homes absent of print materials. Because of this, our focus is on low-income families. A mother struggling to provide shelter and food does not have resources for tools (books, crayons, paper) critical for language development. By partnering with MIHP, we add print material in their homes, empowering women to help build foundational relationships as they increase the language and literacy abilities in their children and close the word and education equity gap!
What do you hope to achieve? What difference will this make in the lives of women and girls?
How will this project meet Hestia's mission statement?
Moms and children will increase their Early Relational Health. The children will receive greater amounts of mental stimulation to promote overall development, setting them up to be 'ready' to be successful at school. Engaging with children, especially in the first three years of life, promotes a foundational relationship that impacts BOTH the mom and child in the moments of the interactions (often each are experiencing the fun and joy of the interaction) and in the future. This Early Relational Health impacts the HEALTH and overall WELL-BEING for both the mother and child. For the child, the foundational relationship that is developed lays the basis for future health, learning, social-emotional well-being, and influences the child's future relationships in life. Moms will also experience positive physical health and overall well-being! Further, by increasing the number of books and literacy materials in children's homes, we are helping to build a more literate future adult population. More print at home helps children succeed academically, graduate, and become contributing members of society. And Early Relational Health is known to produce a better future workforce and engaged citizens! Our work fully promotes Hestia's mission.
How will you evaluate or measure your success:
While much of the scope of what we do is not immediately measurable beyond recording the number of books and PoWeR! Literacy Bags distributed, we collect anecdotes from our MIHP partners, children and family reactions, responses, and observed behaviors as they use the materials. Together, this evidence tells the story of the changes in child and family behaviors regarding language, literacy, and interactions. Evidence from research reminds us that these language and literacy tools are effective for building language capacity and relational health, which will produce lasting lifelong cumulative results for both children and their mothers/caregivers.
Grant Project Budget Form
REVENUES
Revenue Item
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
H.
I.
TOTAL REVENUES
Proposed Revenue
Pending or Confirmed
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
EXPENSES
Expense Item
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
H.
I.
J.
K.
TOTAL EXPENSES
Proposed Expense
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$