Empowering Education: How Guru Krupa Foundation Supports Start Lighthouse

Founder of Guru Krupa Foundation, Mukund Padmanabhan, immersing himself in the literacy journey at Start Lighthouse's 2nd Literacy Hub in P.S. 214, Bronx, alongside Executive Director Rina Madhani and Director of Programming Deborah Rose.

At Start Lighthouse, we are immensely grateful for the unwavering support of The Guru Krupa Foundation, which has been instrumental in driving our mission to empower young minds through literacy. Through their generous grant, we've enriched our Literacy Hubs, providing daily literacy programming for kindergarten to sixth-grade students. This support has allowed us to host nationally recognized and award-winning BIPOC authors and artists, creating transformative experiences for our students.

Thanks to The Guru Krupa Foundation's support, we've hosted four remarkable authors and artists: Winsome Bingham, Charles Esperanza, Alyssa Reynoso Morris, and NoNieqa Ramos. These talented individuals have shared their captivating stories and artwork and served as powerful role models for our students. Representation matters, and having authors who reflect the diversity of our community has been incredibly impactful for our students.

Through the grant, we've delivered over 40 hours of engaging programming, providing our students with opportunities to interact directly with these inspiring creators. The enthusiasm and excitement sparked by these interactions have been palpable, with students eagerly participating in discussions, workshops, and book readings.

Voices of Our Students

"Wow, nothing is more special than meeting an author who looks like me and comes from the same community. I was just blown away by meeting Charles Esperanza. His book is now in my home library, and I have been able to read it at night with my abuela." - Prince

"Because of Start Lighthouse, I now have the foundation for a home library. I love Start Lighthouse because it gives me a lot of information. They also changed my education because my reading level has improved greatly, and I’m very proud of myself. Start Lighthouse can give you a lot of things, but they give everybody love, and that is why I love Start Lighthouse." - Abdel

Impact on School Communities

Principal Danielle Keane of P.S/M.S 5 attests to the profound impact of Start Lighthouse's programming on their school community:

"At P.S/M.S 5, the Start Lighthouse team has profoundly impacted our school, fostering a literacy culture and reigniting the joy of reading for our students. This dedicated programming has benefited our students, families, and teachers and transformed our school community."

Thanks to The Guru Krupa Foundation's support, each author and artist has interacted with and reached out to over 150 students, furthering our mission to close the literacy gap and instill a lifelong love for reading in our young readers.

We deeply thank The Guru Krupa Foundation for their invaluable support in empowering young minds and transforming communities through literacy. Together, we are creating a brighter future for the next generation.