On Behalf of Wake Education Partnership:
Amanda Romano
(919) 233-6600
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Dec. 16, 2014
Wake Education Partnership Receives $40,000 Childhood Literacy Grant From PricewaterhouseCoopers
Funds will bolster WakeEd’s initiative to raise the reading ability
RALEIGH, N.C.—Wake Education Partnership announced today it has received a $40,000 early childhood literacy grant from the PwC Charitable Foundation, Inc . The grant will support the Partnership’s mission to provide every student in the Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) with excellent educational opportunities.
With the grant, WakeEd plans to fund a comprehensive “Call to Action for Early Childhood Literacy Program.” This initiative will create opportunities for the community to respond to the critical need for all children to develop early childhood literacy skills. The goal of the programs will be to raise the recognition of print concepts by 8-10 percent annually for nearly 2,000 children.
The PwC Charitable Foundation grant will further WakeEd’s current early childhood literacy efforts, including partnership with the WAKE Up and Read annual book drive. By creating a framework for the community to get involved in literacy development, WakeEd is serving as a catalyst to connect community resources with schools. In addition, WakeEd will be able to involve more volunteers in other literacy programs, such as the Read a Book, Get a Book campaign it launched with the Wake Bar Association. For that effort, WakeEd placed attorney volunteers in local schools to help elementary school students master language development.
“The development of early childhood reading skills has been linked to everything from college graduation to prison rates,” said Steve Parrott, president of Wake Education Partnership. “This PwC grant is a crucial part of the work we do to create a strong public education system in Wake County. We need that community support to reach our goal.”
The PwC Charitable Foundation invests in nonprofit organizations that are creating emerging solutions to society’s greatest challenges in education and humanitarianism. Between 2001 and 2013, the foundation has given more than $19.4 million in grants, with $9.5 million going directly to education causes.
“We are very excited to provide this grant from the PwC Charitable Foundation to the Wake Education Partnership. PwC’s Raleigh office has a deep commitment to the Triangle area, specifically supporting organizations focused on youth education,” said Laura Robinette, managing partner of PwC’s Raleigh office. “Increasing reading proficiency by third grade is critical to the continued growth and vitality of the Triangle region. We look forward to working with WakeEd on this very important initiative and are proud to further our dedication to early childhood literacy by providing both volunteer and financial support.”
Wake Education Partnership
Wake Education Partnership is an independent, nonprofit organization comprised of business and community leaders committed to improving public education. Since 1983, the Partnership has advocated for excellent educational opportunities for all students in the Wake County Public School System. For more information, please visitwww.wakeedpartnership.org.
The PwC Charitable Foundation, Inc.
The PwC Charitable Foundation, Inc., a section 501(c)(3) organization, makes contributions to the people of PwC in times of financial hardship, and to nonprofit organizations that support and promote education and humanitarianism.
About PwC US
PwC US helps organizations and individuals create the value they’re looking for. We’re a member of the PwC network of firms, which has firms in 157 countries with more than 195,000 people. We’re committed to delivering quality in assurance, tax and advisory services. Find out more and tell us what matters to you by visiting us at www.pwc.com/US.
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