Featured Recipients
Friends of Aurora After-School Program
Results over 15 years:
- 46,300 library books borrowed and returned by children in the FAAP programs
- 12,373 books given away to children in the programs
- 85% of children in the programs come from low-income homes
- 50% of students come from homes where English is not the primary language
2017-2018 Results:
- 1,104 hours that FAAP students spent with their reading mentors
- 565 family members participated in FAAP’s Family Library Nights at Aurora Public Library
- 312 family members came to FAAP’s Summer Reading Buddies Program at Santori Aurora Public Library
- 75 children had a reading mentor for four weeks during summer camp
- 70 children had a reading mentor for 25 weeks during the school year
Aurora Public Library Foundation
Aurora Hispanic Heritage Advisory Board
Water Street Studios
The Gloria J. Taylor Foundation
Fox Valley Montessori
Agape Connection Inc.
Fox Valley United Way – SPARK
North Central College
Aurora University Arts & Ideas
Water Street Studios
Geneva History Museum
Girls Run the World
A+ Foundation for West Aurora Schools
DuPage Children’s Museum
Oswego Foundation for Educational Excellence
Marklund
Agape Connections, Inc.
Indian American Community Outreach Advisory Board
The Gloria J. Taylor Foundation
Fox Valley Hands of Hope
Aurora East Educational Foundation
Education
We believe that access to strong early care and educational opportunities is the foundation for a child's success in school and in life.
Our Goals
Our long-term goal for our education initiatives is for an increasing number of children in the Dunham Foundation Service Area to be reading at grade level by the third grade. As an interim benchmark, we will look at kindergarten-readiness as an indicator of early learning success.
Our Strategy
IF we invest in high-quality support for children from birth through age eight, THEN they will have the necessary foundation to be reading at grade-level by the time they reach the third grade.
The first eight years of a child’s life play a significant role in guiding their success in school and beyond. It is critical to take a holistic approach to a child’s wellbeing by focusing on programs and initiatives that support their long-term development and success; and ensures that they are healthy, safe and engaged.
When a child’s early experiences and educational opportunities positively contribute to their lifetime success, the community as a whole benefits for generations.