Ending Book Deserts
P.S. 214 Start Lighthouse LIteracy Hub
Founded in Bronx, NY, Start Lighthouse is a 501(c)3 nonprofit dedicated to advancing childhood literacy through a social justice lens.
Childhood illiteracy is an everyone, everywhere problem. This is especially the case in the Bronx, where 70% of students do not read proficiently. The biggest barrier to literacy in the Bronx is access to books. Since its founding in March 2020, Start Lighthouse has distributed more than 21,015 brand-new multicultural books, with a value of more than $400,385.
1 book is available for every 300 children in low-income communities as compared to an average of 12 books in the homes of their more affluent peers.
In the Bronx, 58% of residents are rent-burdened and 70% of students read below grade level. Access to books shouldn’t require a sacrifice on food or rent money.
Children who grow up in homes with at least 20 books get three years more of schooling than children in bookless homes. Kids who read with parents or caregivers for 20 minutes each night are exposed to 1.8 million words a year. By middle school, they have read 851 hours and are likely to score 90% better than their peers.
Across New York State, 45% of schools do not have libraries and there is less than one librarian for every 3,400 students.
Start Lighthouse addresses this crisis with a three-pronged approach to create compelling, rewarding reading experiences for children and families. Our method includes “Literary Adventures” hosted in conjunction with partner public schools to build home libraries and foster a sense of book ownership; diverse representation in the books we distribute so students see themselves in what they read; and creating permanent spaces in partner public schools to support literacy development for students as well as family members and caregivers.