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Literacy council of Fort Bend receives CDBG funding
By AUDREY M. MARKS
Using federal money, Fort Bend County approved $31,000 Tuesday for the Literacy Council of Fort Bend.
The money is part of the Community Development Block Grant administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Fort Bend County has $1,873,205 in CDBG funds that are spent on local organizations, home ownership and emergency shelter programs. There are stipulations for using the money. According to the HUD website, the money must be used “ to benefit low- and moderate-income persons, prevention or elimination of slums or blight, or address community development needs having a particular urgency because existing conditions pose a serious and immediate threat to the health or welfare of the community for which other funding is not available.”
The literacy council, formed in 1987, is a non-profit group that uses volunteers to offer basic literacy classes, English as a Second Language and GED preparation classes.
The county approved the money to be used for the student/tutor match program administrative and operating expenses.
Program Director Kathleen Crissman said the support from the county is integral to the Literacy Council’s success.
The CDBG money “is very important,” Crissman said.
According to the literacy council, approximately 66,000 Fort Bend County adults are not functionally literate.
Crissman said adult illiteracy has a trickle down effect, especially if the adults have children.
“In homes where the adults don’t speak English, how can the kids succeed in school and how can the adults be advocates for their children,” Crissman said.
By the council’s estimates, they have helped close to 18,000 adults with their reading.
The literacy council of Fort Bend has been using CDBG money as one of the major streams of income to run their programs. Additionally, they rely on key fundraisers throughout the year to fund the classes.
Tuesday also marked the first official meeting for the newly sworn-in Precinct 1 Commissioner Richard Morrison. Morrison, and the other officials who won their elections in November and previous months, were sworn in on Jan 1.
The money is part of the Community Development Block Grant administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Fort Bend County has $1,873,205 in CDBG funds that are spent on local organizations, home ownership and emergency shelter programs. There are stipulations for using the money. According to the HUD website, the money must be used “ to benefit low- and moderate-income persons, prevention or elimination of slums or blight, or address community development needs having a particular urgency because existing conditions pose a serious and immediate threat to the health or welfare of the community for which other funding is not available.”
The literacy council, formed in 1987, is a non-profit group that uses volunteers to offer basic literacy classes, English as a Second Language and GED preparation classes.
The county approved the money to be used for the student/tutor match program administrative and operating expenses.
Program Director Kathleen Crissman said the support from the county is integral to the Literacy Council’s success.
The CDBG money “is very important,” Crissman said.
According to the literacy council, approximately 66,000 Fort Bend County adults are not functionally literate.
Crissman said adult illiteracy has a trickle down effect, especially if the adults have children.
“In homes where the adults don’t speak English, how can the kids succeed in school and how can the adults be advocates for their children,” Crissman said.
By the council’s estimates, they have helped close to 18,000 adults with their reading.
The literacy council of Fort Bend has been using CDBG money as one of the major streams of income to run their programs. Additionally, they rely on key fundraisers throughout the year to fund the classes.
Tuesday also marked the first official meeting for the newly sworn-in Precinct 1 Commissioner Richard Morrison. Morrison, and the other officials who won their elections in November and previous months, were sworn in on Jan 1.
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