“Toyota Family Learning in San Mateo County Library is a tremendous opportunity to serve families and support their strengths in becoming leaders in their communities and advocates for their children’s success,” said Anne-Marie Despain, Director of Library Services, San Mateo County Library. “It is a chance for disconnected families in underserved communities to form connections and support systems, to feel that they have a voice, that they are not alone, and that they matter.”The East Palo Alto and Half Moon Bay branches have been selected as the home sites for the Toyota Family Learning program. The libraries are actively recruiting children and families now.
Families participating in the Toyota Family Learning program will:
• Attend Parent Time and Parent and Child Together (PACT) Time®: Participating parents engage in guided learning with a focus on leadership. During PACT time, families learn together while engaging in activities including mentoring and service learning, using technology together, reading together, and taking family trips.
• Join in service learning activities: Reflecting Toyota Family Learning’s guiding philosophy, which is rooted in community service, families participate in at least three service projects.
• Engage in family-to-family mentoring: Building community networks is integral to experiencing life success following graduation from the Toyota Family Learning program, and the mentoring element teaches families how to share information with each other in an effort to foster self-sufficiency.
Congratulations to the Anne-Marie Despain and the San Mateo County Library for being the recipients of a grant that will builds on the relationships in families, will grow readers, create active citizens and teach technology skills to all participants.