Weinberg Foundation Dedicates 10th And 11th Libraries In Baltimore City Public Schools

BALTIMORE, Sept. 21, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, one of the largest private foundations in the United States, today will host a celebration marking the grand opening of the 10^th and 11^th libraries renovated as part of the Baltimore Elementary and Middle School Library Project. The newly renovated spaces are located at Commodore John Rodgers Elementary/Middle School and Westport Academy, where today's official celebration will take place:

• 2401 Nevada Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21230
• 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

Featured speakers scheduled to include—

• Maryland Lieutenant Governor Boyd Rutherford
• Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake
• Gregory E. Thornton, CEO, Baltimore City Public Schools

The Library Project is a multi-year, collaborative effort to design, build, equip, and staff new or renovated elementary/middle school libraries in selected schools where existing funds can be leveraged. The Weinberg Foundation has committed $10 million to build or transform up to 24 Baltimore City Public School libraries in an effort to strengthen academic achievement among students.

"To date, the Weinberg Foundation has paid $4.6 million in capital and operating support for the first 11 libraries serving more than 5,500 students," said Rachel Garbow Monroe, Weinberg Foundation President and Chief Executive Officer. "This initiative would not be possible without the contributions of more than 40 partners, all committed to the Library Project's core goal of creating environments that foster literacy and better learning. We are evaluating the impact of these new spaces and excited to share the latest results including a more than 300% jump in book checkouts and significant increases in literacy comprehension and fluency."

Each new library is a well-equipped, well-staffed, and well-resourced space that includes beautiful design, new furniture and graphics, the latest technologies, an "Enoch Pratt Parent Place" for parents/guardians, informal reading areas; and separate areas for study and research, instruction, and group discussion.

In addition to showcasing the transformed libraries, today's celebration will also include family tours of the renovated space at Westport Academy as well as a client choice food pantry, operated by Maryland Food Bank and The Heart of America Foundation, where each family will be able to select 25 pounds of food including fresh produce. Students and families at Commodore John Rodgers will showcase their space later in the week and will also have the opportunity to participate in family tours and a food pantry.

As of this event, 11 new spaces will have been built or completely renovated, including the nine libraries from years 1-3: Moravia Park Elementary, Southwest Baltimore Charter, Thomas Johnson Elementary/Middle, Arlington Elementary/Middle, Elmer A. Henderson: A Johns Hopkins Partnership School, The Historic Samuel Coleridge-Taylor Elementary, Harford Heights Elementary, Morrell Park Elementary/Middle, and Windsor Hills Elementary/Middle schools.

Please follow all Library Project developments at www.baltimorelibraryproject.org and on Twitter at #libraryproject.

Baltimore Elementary and Middle School Library Project Partners:

About The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation
The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, one of the largest private charitable foundations in the United States, provides approximately $100 million in annual grants to nonprofits that provide direct services to low-income and vulnerable individuals and families, primarily in the US and Israel. Grants are focused on meeting basic needs and enhancing an individual's ability to meet those needs with emphasis on older adults, the Jewish community, and our hometown communities of Maryland, Northeastern Pennsylvania, and Hawaii. The trustees, some of whom also serve as executive officers of the Foundation, are Donn Weinberg, Barry I. Schloss, Robert T. Kelly, Jr., Alvin Awaya, and Chair Ellen M. Heller. Rachel Garbow Monroe serves as the Weinberg Foundation's President and Chief Executive Officer. 

Media Contact: Craig Demchak, 443-738-1159
[email protected]

SOURCE Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation

Related Links

www.hjweinbergfoundation.org