Town Pump offering library grants to ‘Keep Kids Reading’

The Town Pump Charitable Foundation is offering $1,000 grants to public libraries in Montana to help fund summer youth-reading programs.

Last year the Town Pump Charitable Foundation awarded 100 of the $1,000 grants statewide as part of its Keep Kids Reading grant program. Grants can be used for books, supplies, snacks, staffing, guest speakers, prizes and other elements needed for a successful summer reading program. Libraries can apply March 1 through April 15 at www.townpumpfoundation.com using the Keep Kids Reading application, and grants will be awarded in early May.

“School children who don’t read over the summer months will lose, on average, two months of their reading skill levels,” said Bill McGladdery, director of corporate communications for Town Pump. “Many Montana libraries increase youth-reading programs in the summer months to help prevent this ‘summer slide,’ and the Town Pump Charitable Foundation is pleased to support these very important programs.”

Summer youth programs also help children develop an awareness of what their local library offers, he added. Many libraries are using the theme “All Together Now” for their summer reading programs.