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Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation Chairman Neil Bush today announced a $45,000 grant from the PNC Foundation to transform areas within the McGovern-Stella Link and Alice McKean Young Neighborhood Libraries of the Houston Public Library System into Family Place Libraries™. This effort supports the shared vision of both the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation and the Houston Public Library system to ensure libraries remain focal points for learning within the Houston community.
 
“Libraries play a vital role in our communities and are the epicenters of learning, books and program access for many Houstonians,” said Mayor Sylvester Turner. “PNC Foundation’s donation and the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation’s commitment to expanding the City of Houston’s family literacy programs will ensure that our youngest and most vulnerable citizens get a quality start in life.” 

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Not only will this donation establish a physical Family Place Libraries™ presence, but it will also enable the staff at each community library to receive specialized training and expand programs specifically focused on toddlers and their caregivers. The specially designed space will feature a welcoming area complete with interactive early literacy materials, such as developmental games and toys and of course, books. 
 
“My mother believed that parents are a child’s first and most important teachers, and that learning how to read begins in the home,” said Neil Bush, Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation chairman. “Many families in our city need access to high-quality programs and resources, and through this special gift from PNC Foundation and our partnership with the Houston Public Library system, we can make a life-lasting change towards brighter futures and better lives for children and their families.” 
 
"Parents are their child's first teacher and the expansion of the Family Place Libraries program within the HPL library system enables additional points of access for them to strengthen that role in a familiar, nurturing and welcoming library space," said Rhea Brown Lawson, Houston Public Library Director.

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Funding for this grant is provided by the PNC Foundation through Grow Up Great®, a $500 million bilingual, early childhood education initiative to help prepare children from birth to age 5, particularly underserved children, for success in school and life.
 
“We believe it is critically important to support and equip our communities with resources that are uniquely focused on infant and toddler brain development, like Family Place Libraries,” said Julie Young Sudduth, PNC regional president for Houston. “We must address the significant challenges faced by caregivers in our communities and provide them with the resources they need to create successful education outcomes for all young Houstonians.”