In 2017, Jefferson County Library Foundation (JCLF) received grants and donations totaling $68,510 to support Jefferson County Public Library (JCPL) programs and services.
“We are grateful to our municipal, corporate and foundation partners for their generous support of library amenities, early childhood literacy, Summer Reading, STEM Girls and other Library programs,” said Tami Bandimere, president, JCLF. “Their generous contributions help JCPL support shared community outcomes in kindergarten reading readiness, grade-level proficiencies in reading, writing and math, and business and entrepreneurial success.”
2017 grants and donations include the following:
- Buell Foundation: $16,600: $4,100 to support 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten and $12,500 to support the installation of a Crawl and Explore Discovery Center in the Children’s area of the Columbine Library.
- City of Golden: $1,510 to support the Golden Library’s Library for All program. JCPL’s Library for All programs offer activities, library exploration and more to adults with disabilities and their caregivers, providing a low-stress, entertaining and whimsical chance to just have fun and enjoy life.
- City of Lakewood: $12,000 to support audio-visual presentation equipment in community meeting rooms at JCPL’s Belmar and Lakewood Libraries.
- City of Wheat Ridge: $1,300 to buy supplies for the Wheat Ridge Library.
- FirstBank: $1,500 to support the Library’s Summer Reading program. Summer Reading is designed to keep kids reading over the summer so that they maintain or improve grade-level proficiencies in reading.
- Golden Civic Foundation: $2,500 to support the DIY/Makerspace at the Golden Library.
- Jefferson County Public Schools: $1,000 to support JCPL’s Summer Reading Buddies program in Edgewater at Citizens Park. Older teens volunteered to be buddies and read along with younger children on Saturday afternoons in the park. The grant was used to purchase a variety of books in English and Spanish to give away to program participants.
- Kinder Morgan Foundation: $3,000 to support Summer Reading.
- LeadersCove: $5,000 to support a naming opportunity at the Columbine Library.
- On Tap/Coors Credit Union: $4,000 to support the Library’s signature Stories & Stout, Ales & Tales program. This adult-themed program highlighted local craft breweries through a six-week passport program focused on visiting partner breweries.
- Rose Community Foundation: $8,100 from Rose Community Foundation to support two early childhood literacy programs at JCPL: Raise a Reader and 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten. Raise a Reader programs were offered in the fall of 2017 at all JCPL locations to connect parents and caregivers with the resources they need to help their children gain important pre-reading skills. 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten is offered at all JCPL locations to encourage parents and caregivers to read at least 1,000 books to their babies and toddlers to help them be ready for school.
- Solera Bank: $1,500 to support the Library’s 2017 Raise a Reader programs.
- Verizon Foundation: $10,000 to support the STEM Girls program and competition at the Golden Library.
- Voelbel Family Fund: $1,000 to support Diversity and Inclusion Services
