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Indigo bookstores champion children’s literacy coast to coast

Retired astronaut Chris Hadfield.
Retired astronaut Chris Hadfield. Photo by Terry Bridge / Sarnia Observer /Postmedia Network

The pandemic has interrupted people’s lives and livelihoods and children’s education.

And it has taken a heavy toll on children’s literacy.

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The Indigo bookstores’ Love of Reading Foundation has championed children’s literacy for years and last week announced a new initiative to help address this greater need.

Indigo has committed to raising $25 million for kids in high-needs communities across Canada.

To help reach that goal and to assist in recovering the decline in children’s literacy caused by the pandemic, Indigo will contribute $12.5 million in cash and in-kind services over the next 10 years.

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And the chain invites its customers and partners to join them in supporting the next generation of readers and leaders.

Since 2004, the foundation has reached one million kids and committed over $35 million to more than 3,500 high-needs elementary schools in this country.

As the New York Times recently reported, children’s literacy has become more important than ever because of the pandemic. One study indicates a loss of almost two decades worth of progress in reading was erased during the last two years.

This has put kids who were already struggling even further behind.

The issue affects children in this province every day.

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Recently, the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) found Ontario’s public education system has failed to meet the needs of students with reading disabilities.

According to a report in the Law Times news, the Supreme Court of Canada held that human rights laws in Canada protect the right of all students, including those with disabilities, “to an equal opportunity to learn to read.”

The OHRC made 157 recommendations to the Ministry of Education, school boards, and faculties of education to address systemic issues affecting the right to learn to read.

Rose Lipton, Executive Director of the Love of Reading Foundation, said the contribution from Indigo will make a “transformative difference” in the lives of kids who need this help.

At the press conference to announce the new goal, Canadian astronaut and literacy advocate Chris Hadfield read from his delightful children’s book, The Darkest Dark and showed his support for the Love of Reading Foundation.

“Giving a child the gift of literacy,” said Hadfield, “is to give them a tool for lifelong learning and opportunity for success.”