PROVIDENCE – The Rhode Island Family Literacy Initiative, a collaborative effort based at the Providence Public Library, has been honored as one of five winners nationwide in the inaugural Verizon Tech Savvy Awards.
RIFLI, the contest’s Eastern Regional winner, will receive $5,000 to continue and expand its program.
Beyond Cash Donations: How New Forms of Giving Are Transforming Not-for-Profit Accounting
Evolving Funding Landscape for Not-for-Profits Not-for-profit organizations are being asked to do more with less,…
Learn More
The initiative includes the Cranston, East Providence, Pawtucket and Providence public library systems. Participants learn real-world skills such as how to create brochures, spreadsheets and PowerPoint presentations. Parents and children receive free computer time to work together and visit educational Web sites.
“RIFLI is thrilled to receive this honor and to be singled out as a leader in the field,” said Karisa Tasjian, the collaborative’s literacy program coordinator.
Program representatives accepted the award at the 16th annual national Conference on Family Literacy, hosted by the National Center for Family Literacy in Orlando.
Programs in California, Iowa and Texas also were honored with regional awards, and the Enemy Swim Day School in Waubay, S.D., received the $25,000 national award.
The Verizon Tech Savvy Awards are a joint creation of the NCFL, former Iowa First Lady Christie Vilsack and the Verizon Foundation. They are designed to encourage schools and community-based nonprofits to create programs that demystify technology for parents, enabling them to better guide their children.
Additional information on RIFLI and other programs honored with Verizon Tech Savvy Awards is available at www.thinkfinity.org, the Web site of Verizon Foundation’s digital learning platform Thinkfinity.
