Denise Louie Education Center (DLEC) recently received a $2,000 grant from the Target Foundation to help instill a love of reading in the children the organization serves at sites on Beacon Hill, in the International District, and in Rainier Beach/Lake Washington.

The funds from the grant will allow DLEC to purchase books for their Raising a Reader Program, a national program that gets families engaged in daily reading through parent training and rotating book bags that children check out each week.

The Raising a Reader program encourages daily “book cuddling,” described by DLEC as follows: “Parents follow the child’s lead and either read or invent a story using the pictures from the book. That way, a book can be shared regardless of the parent’s language or literacy level. Parents learn how to use prediction, open-ended, and leading questions to engage their children. By the end of the program, families sign up for a library card so they can continue with daily reading which will help their children become proficient readers and successful students.”

The Beacon Hill branch of DLEC is located at 3327 Beacon Ave. S. in North Beacon Hill. For more information about the organization, visit the website.