Shenandoah University’s Claude Moore Center for Literacy (CMCL) has received its largest-ever grant from the Fairfax, Virginia-based Claude Moore Charitable Foundation, in the form of a $101,000 award.
The Claude Moore Charitable Foundation (CMCF) is a longtime supporter of Shenandoah’s literacy-promoting activities, and a grant from the foundation allowed the university to create the CMCL, located in the Bowman Building in downtown Winchester, Virginia.
“I am sincerely grateful for the incredible support from the Claude Moore Charitable Foundation. Thanks to the foundation’s support, we’ve conducted 15 Camp Read A Lot programs at Title I schools. These programs, staffed by teachers enrolled in our Master of Science in Literacy Education program, provide high-dose, one-on-one tutoring in a fun, camp-like setting, complete with a camp bookstore where children can ‘shop’ for books to build their home libraries,” said Karen Huff, Ed.D., director of Shenandoah’s children’s literature program and professor of curriculum and instruction. “The foundation’s generosity has also enabled us to bring renowned authors and illustrators to Winchester for events such as the Children’s Literature Conference, the spring Rally for Reading at Shenandoah University for over 500 fourth graders, Rockin’ the Library at the Handley Library, and to meet children at local schools and the Fremont Street Nursery.
“With their support, we have expanded our reach into Loudoun and Fauquier counties, bringing author visits to the Rockin’ Summer Reading event in Loudoun County and The Great Big Book Party in Fauquier. This past summer alone, because of the support of the Claude Moore Charitable Foundation, we placed over 3,000 books into the hands of students in Title I schools,” she added.
The foundation has also supported teacher education. Dr. Huff said that since 2009, foundation grants have funded hundreds of scholarships for teachers to pursue graduate-level literacy studies at Shenandoah. “This investment in our educators is an investment in our children’s future; for this, I am deeply grateful.
“The Claude Moore Charitable Foundation’s partnership has transformed our literacy education program at Shenandoah University,” she said. “We are thankful for their belief in our mission and their unwavering support.”
With this year’s grant, the CMCL intends to further expand its programming in the region.
Since being established in 1987, the CMCF has awarded more than $90 million in grants to more than 500 nonprofits. The foundation’s grants tend to focus on education, health, and human services, with grants going to organizations based most often, but not exclusively, in Loudoun County, Virginia. Shenandoah University has locations in Winchester, Clarke, and Loudoun counties.
