National Center for Family Literacy and Toyota Join Forces in Hispanic Literacy Initiative

LONG BEACH, Calif., March 16 -- Toyota and the National Center for Family Literacy (NCFL) today jointly announced the Toyota Family Literacy Program -- a new initiative to help Hispanic and other immigrant families with the lowest literacy skills. The announcement was made at the National Conference on Family Literacy, presented annually by NCFL.

Toyota has made a $3.2 million grant to NCFL that will be used to establish model family literacy programs in five cities with significant or quickly growing Hispanic populations. NCFL will develop three programs in each of the five cities over a three-year period, as well as instructional materials that can be used nationally. The programs will launch this fall.

Model programs will help parents in at-risk Hispanic and other immigrant families improve their English, education, work and parenting skills, while helping their children succeed in school. The goal of the Toyota Family Literacy Program is to develop models that can be replicated nationwide.

NCFL has pioneered family literacy programs in the United States since 1989. Toyota became a major partner with NCFL in 1991 and has contributed more than $16 million to establish family literacy models throughout the country. The Toyota Family Literacy Program is the first initiative to focus on the specific needs of Hispanic families with low English and literacy skills.

"The partnership between Toyota and NCFL has been the catalyst for more than 5,000 family literacy programs which have benefited hundreds of thousands of families throughout America," said Sharon Darling, NCFL's president and founder. "We're pleased that Toyota is taking the next step along with us in providing family literacy opportunities to the growing Hispanic population in this country."

Hispanics are America's most rapidly growing population. According to Census 2000, 35.3 million Hispanics live in the United States. Fourteen million are foreign-born. Parents in many recently immigrated Hispanic families speak little to no English, possess low literacy skills in their native language due to limited education, and frequently struggle to assist their children's English language development.

With Toyota's support, NCFL developed the family literacy model that is cited in federal legislation, including Even Start and Head Start. Family literacy integrates adult education, children's education, interactive literacy activities called Parent and Child Together (PACT) Time, and parent training (Parent Time) into one comprehensive program. In family literacy programs, parents and children work and learn together, giving parents an opportunity to increase their skills as their children's first and most important teacher.

"For more than 12 years, NCFL has demonstrated to Toyota and the communities where the programs have been established that the family literacy approach works," said Toshiaki "Tag" Taguchi, president and CEO of Toyota Motor North America. "Toyota's core values and those of NCFL are very compatible. We respect the leadership and staff of NCFL in their commitment and ability to improve the lives of so many American families," he added.

Toyota's grant is the first given to NCFL's new Hispanic Family Literacy Institute, which was announced Friday. The Institute is designed to expand services for the educational, social and economic advancement of Hispanic families in need.

"As our nation's Hispanic population continues to grow, NCFL and the Hispanic Family Literacy Institute will dedicate our finest resources to supporting the future success of our nation's most disadvantaged families," added Sharon Darling. "Toyota's ongoing and generous support allows NCFL to reach those parents and their children who need support in breaking the cycle of under-education and poverty between generations."

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