Firefly Foundation - Lighting the Way to Literacy

Welcome!

The Value of Owning Quality Literature

Quality literature is essential to the growth of young children. Children should be exposed to quality literature in school, but with the limited amount of time and an abundance of award winning (Newbury and Caldecott) books the school systems cannot possibility cover all of this material.

Literature helps:

increase language growth and development
explore personal feelings
develop one's own morals and values
children to become better readers & writers
increase awareness of diverse ethnicity, religions, and nationalities

The Firefly Foundation is providing a way for children to experience a variety of literature. Research shows that in a low-socio economic home families experience chronic stressors such as: insufficient income to meet basic needs, crime, inadequate housing, and sub-standard health care (Mueller & Patton 1995). Social support, such as becoming a ‘Firefly Kid’, is proven to help alleviate some of these stressors.

Who We Are

The Firefly Foundation is a non-profit 501(C) 3 organization dedicated to improving positive literacy practices. The founder of our organization believes that fostering a balanced approach to literacy (reading, comprehension, writing and speaking) is the most effective way for children to develop a strong educational foundation.

“Literacy is not a luxury, it is a right and a responsibility. If our world is to meet the challenges of the twenty-first century we must harness the energy and creativity of all our citizens.”

- President Clinton, International Reading Day, 1994 -

What We Do

One way that we encourage reading is to put new books into the hands of children who come from low socio-economic areas of New Jersey. This is done through our Firefly Kidz Program.

Parent(s)/guardian(s) are encouraged to sign their children up to be part of this program. The Firefly Kidz Program is designed to send each child a new, age-appropriate, gift wrapped book on their birthday. The child also receives a book log. Once the log is completed and returned to the Foundation the child will receive a bonus book. The program is designed so the child is a member until his/her 17th birthday.

Becoming a Firefly Kid is easy:

Complete sign-up/registration form with current accurate information. Complete the parent sign-up/registration form. Click here to open a signup form in another window.
Encourage reading time each day. Completing the book log is a fun way to keep track of reading improvement.
Keep the foundation updated with all address changes.
Click here to open an additional book log in another window.

Get The Facts!

In 1999 only 53 % of children aged 3-5 were read to daily by a family member. Children in families with incomes below the poverty line are less likely to be read aloud to everyday than are children in families with incomes at or above the poverty line.
(*The National Center for Education Statistics, NCES Fast Facts, Family Reading*)

It is estimated that more than $2 billion is spent each year on students who repeat a grade because they have reading problems.
(*U.S. Department of Health and Human Services*)

15% of all 4th graders read no faster than 74 words per minute, a pace at which it would be difficult to keep track of ideas as they are developing within the sentence and across the page. (*Pinnell, et. al. 1995*)

46% of American adults cannot understand the label on their prescription medicine.
(*Journal of American Medical Association*)

50% of American adults are unable to read an eighth grade level book.
(*Jonathan Kozol, Illiterate America*)