MSA Hanford Announces $10K Grant to Support Books for Babies

The Children’s Reading Foundation of the Mid-Columbia (formerly the Mid-Columbia Reading Foundation) learned today that the Mission Support Alliance (MSA), a Hanford prime contractor, is awarding a $10K grant to the Foundation to support its long-running “Books for Babies” program.  “The Books for Babies” program was started soon after the Reading Foundation was established in 1996,” said Reading Foundation Executive Director Marc Harden.  “Mothers and their new babies leave area hospitals with a baby’s board book and materials encouraging parents to read with their children from birth,” he added.

The program was funded for the first 11 years by Fluor as part of their community support activities during their tenure at the Hanford Site.  “We are extremely pleased to welcome the MSA as a partner in early childhood development and as the primary sponsor of this important program,” Harden said.

“Research has shown that developing a child’s literacy skills through early experiences with books and stories is critically linked to a child’s success in learning to read,” said Frank Figueroa, MSA’s president and general manager.  “My most treasured gifts have always been books, and I recently gave sweatshirts to my grandchildren that said, ‘If you love me, read me a book.’  We are delighted to support such a worthy endeavor here in our community.”