Hallowe'en Book Give-Away, 2019

This year it rained cats and dogs on Hallowe'en, so our host, RiverCross, moved Trunk 'r Treat inside.  This brought an influx of neighbours: there were more than 250 children with their adults in attendance.  We know this because we brought 250 books and ran out before the end.

We had multiple copies of several Pete the Cat and Lego City books that were very popular (the Pete the Cat books inspired us to dress-up as Pete and his lost button).

Once again were able to provide wonderful books to some wonderful families with children of all ages, including babies.  We set up as a self-serve station, and the children deliberated long and hard before choosing their book.

The writing journals proved to be popular again with some of older teens; though copies of the first book in the Bluebloods series also went fast.

We want to thank our host, the RiverCross Mission.  Thanks as well to the Literacy Coalition of New Brunswick for supporting us with a PGI grant.

Local Neighbourhood Literacy organization receives Canada Post Community Foundation support

On October 16, 2019 Canada Post Community Foundation presented $2000 to
Quality Learning NB for neighbourhood holiday literacy initiatives.
 L-R are:  Michele McGree, Local Area Supervisor; Chris Victory, Local Area Superintendent;
Cheryl Brown, Literacy Coordinator (QLNB);
Nancy Blizzard, Regional Area Manager; and Mary Hunter, Retail Clerk.

Quality Learning New Brunswick has received $2000.00 from the Canada Post Community Foundation for an important project in Saint John’s North End Neighbourhoods: The Holiday Book Giveaway.

Quality Learning New Brunswick is an organization led by volunteers that offers literacy supports families and communities request in order to make healthy choices.  This project grew out of relationships that were formed during Storytent events and programming in focus neighbourhoods.  “For various reasons, obtaining great children’s books that will facilitate the love and joy of reading can be challenging for many families,” says QLNB Storytent Worker Wendell Dryden.   “We were first asked to read stories or do puppet shows at neighbourhood association’s Christmas parties, and over the years, the project has become what it is now:  we add new books to the gift giving for all the children in attendance, and provide open-ended pro-literacy activities during neighbourhood events in December.  In another neighbourhood, we add new books for each child to Family Christmas Boxes provided by Rivercross Mission.” Book ownership is an important part of a young child’s reading development journey.  Janet McLaughlin, President of the Crescent Valley Community Tenant’s Association, indicates that “We are very excited to get the books at Christmas and at other times of the year.  We get most of our children’s books from these types of events.”  Last year this project saw more than 250 books go home with children from birth – 12, and the Canada Post grant will help reach even more children this year.

Canada Post: “Canada Post is proud to help organizations and projects that make a difference in the lives of Canadian children and youth.  Through the generosity of our customers, the Canada Post Community Foundation is able to fund important programs in communities across the country every year.”

About the Canada Post Community Foundation

The Canada Post Community Foundation for Children’s vision is to help ensure every child in Canada is happy, healthy and part of a community that supports and cares for them. Its mission is to have a positive effect in the lives of children in the communities Canada Post serves by supporting registered charities, school programs or local initiatives that benefit children. It has granted more than $8 million to over 750 community organizations across Canada. To learn more about the Foundation, visit canadapost.ca/community.

Event Tents - 2019

We've wrapped up our 2019 Event Storytents for the summer.  This year's Community Literacy Project saw us visiting Fredericton Junction, Browns Flat, Grand Bay-Westfield, Campobello Island and several Saint John parks and neighbourhoods; four urban and four suburban / rural communities.

We believe a storytent can enhance a community fair, a school festival, or an organization’s summer picnic, and also send a positive message about literacy.  Effective event tents promote a reading culture.  They demonstrate that reading can happen anywhere.  They encourage children and families to keep books and reading in their quality pictures of a fun outing.  As well, they provide a way to promote or outreach additional services; or to gauge interest in new programming.

We met 370 children and adults over the eight events, and were able to give away 770 quality New Brunswick books for children and families; books written and illustrated by New Brunswickers as part of a project undertaken by the University of New Brunswick.

Major support for this 2019 Quality Storytent Project came from the Province of New Brunswick, Department of Tourism, Heritage and Culture, and the Province of New Brunswick, Department of Social Development.  Additional funding was provided through private donors.

Brundage Point River Centre Little Free Library Grand Opening

Local youth Keegan (far left) and Chase (far right) join (L-R)  MLA for Kings Centre
Hon. Bill Oliver, Quality Learning New Brunswick representative Wendell Dryden
and Grand Bay-Westfield Mayor Grace Losier in cutting the ribbon
and officially opening the Brundage Point Little Free Library.

Quality Learning New Brunswick is very pleased to partner with the Town of Grand Bay-Westfield to create a Little Free Library at the Brundage Point River Centre to make borrowing books more fun and accessible for families in this neighbourhood.  Funded by the New Brunswick Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, with the Saint John Free Public Library as a partner, this Little Free Library can house approximately 50 books for patrons of all ages.  With no fees or fines, patrons are encouraged to take a book, and bring it back when they’re done.

According to the Little Free Library Organization

Through Little Free Libraries, millions of books are exchanged each year, profoundly increasing access to books for readers of all ages and backgrounds.

Having access to books is an important factor is learning to read and in keeping up your reading skills.

The Grand Opening of the Brundage Point Little Free Library took place on Wednesday, Aug 7, 2019 at the Brundage Point River Centre Playground.  Mayor Grace Losier and Hon. Bill Oliver, MLA were on hand to deliver messages and stories of inter-generational reading and to cut the ribbon. We had a lovely donation of several books from a local resident, and Mayor Grace donated a copy of  Abigail Eats Bugs by Grand Bay-Westfield resident Virginia Pye.  Local residents Pat and Keegan were the first to borrow after the opening.