Project Grant 16VSWMO001

LITERACY KANSAS CITY HAS EXPERIENCED SUBSTANTIAL PROGRAM ENHANCEMENT, COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT, AND DIVERSIFICATION IN THE PAST TWO YEARS. WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF AN AGGRESSIVE STRATEGIC PLAN AND FUNDRAISING INITIATIVE IN ORDER TO ENGAGE GREATER NUMBERS AND BETTER MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY. LITERACY KANSAS CITY'S MISSION IS TO ADVANCE LITERACY AMONG AREA ADULTS THROUGH DIRECT SERVICES, ADVOCACY AND COLLABORATION. OUR VISION IS LITERACY FOR ALL. LITERACY KANSAS CITY PROVIDES SMALL GROUP LITERACY INSTRUCTION FOR ADULT LEARNERS UTILIZING AN INSTRUCTOR-LED, TUTOR-DRIVEN FORMAT. LITERACY KANSAS CITY HAS BEEN WORKING SINCE 1985 TO PUT A DENT IN WHAT THE UNITED WAY ESTIMATES AS 250,000 ADULTS READING AT OR BELOW THE BASIC LEVEL OF LITERACY- MEANING APPROXIMATELY FIFTH GRADE- THROUGHOUT THE GREATER KANSAS CITY METROPOLITAN AREA. SO FAR, WE HAVE PARTNERED WITH A COMMUNITY COLLEGE, KANSAS CITY PUBLIC LIBRARY, MID-CONTINENT PUBLIC LIBRARY, THE KANSAS CITY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT, KANSAS CITY PARKS AND RECREATION AND OTHER COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO EXTEND OUR LITERACY PROGRAMS BEYOND THE WALLS OF OUR MAIN OFFICE. LITERACY KANSAS CITY HAS DEVELOPED AN AMBITIOUS THREE-YEAR PLAN FOR WHICH WE REQUEST THE COMMITMENT OF THREE VISTA MEMBERS PER YEAR, IN ORDER TO FULLY PUT INTO OPERATION THE OBJECTIVES OUTLINED ABOVE. ONE VISTA MEMBER WOULD BE ASSIGNED TO THE EXPANSION, GROWTH, AND EVALUATION OF ONE OF OUR NEWEST PROGRAMS- TICKET TO READ. THE SECOND AND THIRD VISTAS WOULD WORK TO INCREASE THE OVERALL CAPACITY OF OUR MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS BY CREATING ALLURING ADULT LITERACY AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS AND INCREASING OUR OVERALL WEB PRESENCE AS WELL AS COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND AWARENESS IN THE GREATER KANSAS CITY AREA ABOUT THE NEED FOR MORE COLLABORATION AMONGST ADULT LITERACY PROGRAMMING. LITERACY KANSAS CITY NOW POSSES THE ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY TO BECOME A VISTA INTERMEDIARY. WE HAVE SUCCESSFULLY RUN VISTA PROJECTS AND ARE WELL ACQUAINTED WITH THE PROCESS OF RECRUITING, TRAINING, RETAINING, AND REPORTING ON VISTA ACTIVITIES. BECAUSE OUR CORE PROGRAMS DEPEND UPON COMMUNITY COLLABORATION, AS AN ORGANIZATION WE ARE WELL EQUIPPED TO WORK WITH PARTNER SUB-SITES TO REACH A COMMON GOAL. BOYS GROW: BOYSGROW IS A NOT-FOR-PROFIT AGENCY PROVIDING MENTORING, ENTREPRENEURSHIP SKILLS, AND POSITIVE MALE ROLE-MODELS FOR INNER-CITY BOYS AGES 14-16. BOYSGROW LITERALLY BROKE GROUND IN THE SPRING OF 2010 AND IS A YEAR ROUND FARMING AND BUSINESS PROGRAM SUPPORTING THE YOUTH BY PROVIDING VALUABLE PERSONAL AND BUSINESS TOOLS WHILE CULTIVATING AND SELLING OUR PRODUCTS. COMMUNITY CAPITAL FUND: WORKING WITH ORGANIZATIONS THAT STRENGTHEN AND DEVELOP THE FINANCIAL, SOCIAL, AND KNOWLEDGE CAPITAL OF KANSAS CITY?S HISTORICALLY UNDER-RESOURCED AND UNDER-INVESTED COMMUNITIES AND NEIGHBORHOODS. CONNECTING FOR GOOD: BRIDGING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE SINCE 2011 USING WIRELESS INTERNET, COMMUNITY COMPUTER CENTERS, LOW COST REFURBISHED PCS AND FREE DIGITAL LIFE SKILLS CLASSES. EPISCOPAL COMMUNITY SERVICES: NONPROFIT PUBLIC CHARITY SPECIALIZING IN A UNIQUE BLEND OF FOOD RELATED PROGRAMS. WE BELIEVE FOOD IS A BASIC HUMAN RIGHT; THAT WITHOUT GOOD FOOD THAT NOURISHES THE BODY AS WELL AS FILLING THE STOMACH, PEOPLE WILL STRUGGLE WITH EVERYTHING ELSE THEY NEED AND WANT TO DO TO IMPROVE THEIR LIVES. JERUSALEM FARM: OUR MISSION IS TO MAKE OURSELVES AVAILABLE TO THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY. THE MAIN WAY THAT WE DO THIS IS THROUGH ADDRESSING HOME REPAIR NEEDS AND COORDINATING VOLUNTEERS FROM KANSAS CITY AND AROUND THE COUNTRY. KANSAS CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS: OUR DISTRICT SERVES A LARGE NUMBER OF STUDENTS FROM FAMILIES THAT SPEAK LANGUAGES OTHER THAN ENGLISH IN THE HOME. WE OFFER SEVERAL DIFFERENT PROGRAMS TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THESE STUDENTS KANSAS CITY DIGITAL DRIVE: KC DIGITAL DRIVE?S MISSION IS TO MAKE KANSAS CITY A DIGITAL LEADER TO IMPROVE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES AND QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THOSE WHO LIVE HERE. MATTIE RHODES: MATTIE RHODES CENTER IS A NONPR