Biggest Grant in Wonder History
By Juliet Snowden, Senior Editor
Let's Read! (A publication of The Wonder of Reading)
December 2001

Everychild members Deborah Colbert, Jacqueline Caster, Eve Jaffe, and Cynthia Alexander with Clover students.

The Wonder of Reading is pleased to announce that we are the recipient of the 2001 Everychild Foundation grant. The grant, of up to $400,000, is the largest ever received in Wonder of Reading history and will go toward implementing the 3R Program in a whopping 15 schools over a four year period.

When Christopher Forman, founder of The Wonder of Reading, heard the news he was exhilarated. "Because of the increasing population, schools that can today dedicate two rooms to a Wonder of Reading library may be unable to do so in the future years. Once a library is in place, the District will not take it away. The more libraries we can build now, the better. This is one reason the Everychild Foundation grant is so meaningful," explains Forman.

Jacqueline Caster, founder of the Everychild Foundation, came up with the idea after realizing that much of the money she donated to nonprofit organizations went into the fundraising events instead of the organization itself. "I wanted to think outside of the box about ways to raise money for organizations other than through parties." Caster's idea was simple, but unique--gather a network of women, each of whom would donate $5,000 annually, and then award the money to one charity that helps children in need. Each member gets to cast an equal vote in deciding who will receive the grant. Currently, there are more than 90 Everychild members. The goal is to peak at 220 members, allowing the foundation to give one million dollars each year to a single children's charity.

This year 30 Los Angeles children's charities competed for the Everychild grant. The Wonder of Reading was selected because of its successful track record--67 libraries renovated in seven years, $670,000 worth of new books in libraries, six hundred volunteers reading each week with students, a close working relationship with the Los Angeles Unified School District, and a strong Board of Directors and staff.

But the most compelling reason for the grant is the difference The Wonder of Reading makes in the community. Caster says, "Children who don't have a library in their school suffer because they can't succeed in life. They are at a disadvantage and have a handicap from the very beginning. We hope to change that."