Raise-a-Reader: B.C. government boosts lifelong literacy

Province helps boost Raise-A-Reader campaign

Published Sep 20, 2024  •  Last updated 0 minutes ago  •  3 minute read

Anne Kang, B.C.'s minister of municipal affairs, visited the Richmond Public Library to kick off this year's Summer Reading Club. Photo by Ministry of Municipal Affairs /Government of B.C.

This year, the provincial government is again providing $500,000 to support The Vancouver Sun Raise-a-Reader campaign.

Money raised by the campaign, which runs through Sept. 27, helps fund literacy programs.

Many of the programs are geared toward young readers. Donations are used to purchase and distribute reading materials, co-ordinate family literacy and school-based reading programs, and host community events focused on awareness and building literacy skills.

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Since 1997, Raise-a-Reader campaigns have raised $23,265,962.94 thanks to the help of generous Vancouver Sun and Province readers.

“Literacy is an essential skill that opens doors to meaningful work and to engagement and learning opportunities for everyone in our community, no matter what the age group is,” said Anne Kang, B.C.’s minister of municipal affairs.

“We’re very thankful for the partnership of Postmedia and the role that it plays every single year.”

The province works with not-for-profit organizations, such as Decoda Literacy Solutions, to increase the literacy and learning skills of children and their families and to help improve the quality of life at home, at school, at work and in the community.

Kang says reading is an important part of lifelong learning as well.

“We continue to encourage adults to read,” she said. “Reading helps adults understand important information about their health or personal finances or upgrading their employment skills.”

Raise-a-Reader programs help families that are new to the province, including children who might be struggling to learn a new language.

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Last year, the provincial government provided a one-time funding boost of $45 million to public libraries, which receive $14 million in annual operating funds.

“I’ve been hearing from libraries that the grant is going a long way, from extending opening hours to getting more library resources to adding more online audiobooks,” Kang said.

Kang is raising her 14-year-old son and 16-year-old daughter to be readers. On a recent trip to a bookstore, her son bought a pile of books, including Robert Greene’s The Laws of Human Nature and David Brooks’ How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply.

“When I asked why those books, he said, ‘Well, you’ve got to know people, what they’re thinking of and how to understand them before you ask them to understand you.’ For him, it’s essential, if he wants to be successful in school, in school projects, or looking for a part-time job, that he understands human nature.”

She says her daughter is quite shy but this year told her mom, “‘OK, I’m ready to be part of the community, I want to engage and volunteer more,’” said Kang. She started reading How to Talk to Anyone by Leil Lowndes.

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Kang’s own reading tastes include many audiobooks. A recent favourite was Jay Shetty’s Think Like a Monk.

“It’s taught me how to overcome negativity, to recognize opportunity, to learn from everyone you meet, and to find value in myself and be of value to those around me.”

Another book she’s enjoying is Adam Grant’s Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater Things.

“It’s about how our next generation has been so engaged with social media and the internet that their brains are wired a little bit differently,” she said. “I’m exploring that book so that I can relate better to the next generation. I think a community leader needs to continue to learn to understand how our community and our society and our economy is changing.”

Please help raise a reader

Direct donation URL

RAR main URL

Facebook: @RaiseaReaderVan

X.com: @RARVancouver

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