Political Quotes

“I would like to call attention to the important work done by the Children's Literacy Foundation--CLiF--a Waterbury Center, VT, based organization that was established in 1998 to address children's literacy in Vermont and New Hampshire. CLiF's founder, Duncan McDougall, set out to improve access to books and other learning resources for children in low-income, at-risk, and rural communities through a diverse set of programs, from story-telling events with authors to partnerships with elementary schools to distribute books to students. Over the last 22 years, the foundation has touched the lives of thousands of children in Vermont and New Hampshire. As schools in Vermont have opened their doors in a more limited capacity this fall, learning has become more difficult for many students, and access to books at home has become even more critical. Luckily, CLiF quickly moved to address this new challenge. Since March, the foundation has partnered with schools and libraries to fill some of the gap left by remote learning, distributing 40,000 books across our two States, and facilitating remote and in-person literacy workshops and story-telling events. Not only has this been beneficial for children, but it has helped parents as well, many of whom are simultaneously juggling teaching, and working full-time. As a father and a grandfather, I truly understand the importance of access to books in the home, and I am truly grateful for the efforts made by Mr.…”