GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The United Way of the Lakeshore has received a $120,000 grant to support children's literacy throughout West Michigan.
United Way will use the money to distribute smaller grants to the Great Start Collaborative in each of the 13 West Michigan counties.
"This grant is to get resources specifically for children, birth to age five, at those important years where their brain is developing, and their excitement about reading books is so alive and wonderful to see," said Barbara Sims, Director of the United Way of the Lakeshore.
Great Start Collaboratives work to support children and families from birth to age 8, including ensuring they are on track in school.
"The wonderful thing about this collaborative is that we are going to be using the community as partners to make sure that we're finding out where these underserved communities are, and put those resources to programs that are really going to affect children and families in our area," Sims said. "So we're very excited."
In addition, a regional advisory group with members from West Michigan will be established. The group will work to secure consistent funding to help support the program.
Sims said volunteers are always needed, from reading to children to helping enroll families in Dolly Parton's Imagination Library program. To learn more about the United Way, click here.
►Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the 13 ON YOUR SIDE app now.
Have a news tip? Email news@13onyourside.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter. Subscribe to our YouTube channel.