Rep. Severin Announces Local Literacy Grants

BENTON, IL - State Representative Dave Severin announced this week that three district 116 libraries are set to receive grant funding. Rep. Severin, who chairs the House Republican Literacy Improves Future Endeavors Working Group, congratulated entities in Fairfield, Mount Vernon, and Mount Carmel.

"The Secretary of State's office has notified entities in my district of grant funding to improve literacy outcomes for students and adults," Severin said. "These grants represent investments in local communities that help teach reading, writing, and math skills and allow individuals with certain disabilities to access local news broadcasts."

In Fairfield, Frontier Community College was awarded $81,120 as part of the Adult Literacy Grant Program. The grants help provide instruction to adults who read below the ninth-grade level or speak English at a beginning level to improve their basic reading, writing, math, or English language proficiency.

In Mount Vernon, the Southtown Youth Program Center was awarded a $52,000 Family Literacy Grant. These grants help provide integrated, intensive instruction to improve basic reading, writing skills, and math or English language proficiency of parents and children together. Services include adult education, child education, parenting education, literacy-based, interactive, parent-child activities, and library services.

In Mount Carmel, Wabash Valley College received $35,341 in Radio Information Service grant funds. The Radio Information Service grant helps thousands of Illinois residents access local news broadcasts. These programs are broadcast on a special radio called a sideband receiver. These receivers are distributed at no cost to qualified recipients. Anyone who has a visual or physical disability that impairs a person's ability to read may be eligible to obtain a special radio from the grant funding.

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