The Go Farther Literacy Fund, launched by The Mind Trust, is an initiative built to improve literacy rates among K-12 students in Indianapolis’ Center Township. This program awards grants ranging from $150 to $5,000 to families and local organizations.
Director of equity and selection at The Mind Trust Lauren Lopez spoke about why the literacy fund is necessary.
“The Literacy Fund started around five years ago,” Lopez told the Indianapolis Recorder. “The hope of the program is to provide unique opportunities to families, community members, teachers, schools, nonprofit organizations to find innovative ways to improve literacy in the communities that they serve.”
Lopez said that the idea of the project comes from The People’s Literacy Fund, organized by Dr. Charles Cole, based in Oakland, CA.
The fund supports projects that focus on building literacy skills, especially for students affected by poverty, language barriers, or homelessness.
As Lopez stated, applicants, including parents and educators, can submit proposals with clear, feasible goals. The fund addresses the critical issue of low literacy rates, which are especially concerning in Indiana, where many students are reading below grade level. Literacy is fundamental for a childās academic success and life opportunities, making this fund a crucial resource for the community.
Indiana has struggled with literacy rates, especially in urban areas like Center Township. According to reports, many students, particularly from marginalized communities, are not reading at grade level.
“Students can’t access the information necessary for academic success if they can’t read the language,” Lopez said. “That is where the Literacy Fund comes in.”
The pandemic further exacerbated this issue, disrupting traditional schooling and impacting students’ progress. The Go Farther Literacy Fund aims to counteract these challenges by supporting grassroots projects that can directly address literacy needs.
Community activist, mentor and previous Literacy Fund awardee Delores Thornton heard about the program while at a neighborhood event.
“I had ran into one of the previous award winners, who now runs a mobile bookstore, and she told me about it,” Thornton said. “So, I applied. I figured I could use the funding to help the children in my neighborhood.”
Thornton used the funding to install a community bookstore inside her church near east 38th street.
“There are a lot of Hispanics and Haitians in my area,” Thornton said. “I felt there was a language barrier there that the project helped.”
Applicants donāt need to be educators but must present realistic plans to boost literacy. This openness ensures that a wide range of creative, community-driven solutions can emerge.
Lopez said that nearly $180,000 has been distributed since the program’s inception.
Applications are open until Nov. 4, with awards distributed in December.
‘I think I got just as much out of the community library and Literacy Fund as the kids we designed it for,” Thornton said.
For more details, visit themindtrust.org/gofarther.
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