Three children peeking eyes out above books. Text above reads "We would not have been able to raise these kinds of funds at our school without the support of EducationMatters and Mobility Quotient and the exposure and support this gave us. Thank you for making a difference." - Principal of a Loonies for Literacy 2022 Gift Matched School. EducationMatters Loonies for Literacy Presented by Mobility Quotient logo at bottom

EducationMatters Loonies for Literacy is back for its second year! Loonies for Literacy is a ground-breaking initiative to celebrate the magic of books while raising funds to invest in literacy programs and materials for Calgary Board of Education (CBE) students across the city.

Local Calgary tech agency, Mobility Quotient, is proudly sponsoring EducationMatters Loonies for Literacy again this year. Last year’s Loonies contributed over $80,000 to CBE school literacy resources, over half of which was provided by generous community partners and sponsors as a gift match to funds raised by schools and students directly. All CBE schools have been pre-registered this year and have their own peer-to-peer fundraising pages and customized individual Text to Donate keywords.

The funds raised by students through Loonies for Literacy will be matched by community supporters and used towards literacy programs for schools in need, including initiatives like:

–              Buying books for school libraries
–              Digital resources such as reading apps and e-books
–              Early learning resources and
–              Decodable texts

“We are proud to be involved with Loonies this year so that we can continue to move the needle forward on essential literacy programs for our CBE students. EducationMatters exceeded the outcomes we had set forth last year and we are looking forward to seeing the impact the expanded program will bring this year.” – Nikhil Sonpal, CEO, Mobility Quotient

A 2020 report from Deloitte showed that there is economic value in children’s literacy, with a recent estimate of the effects of literacy on long-run GDP per capita showing that a 1% increase in adult literacy skills translates to a 3% increase in GDP per capita. The report also shows there is evidence that children with poor literacy skills at age eight are four times less likely to graduate compared to proficient readers.
[Source: Deloitte LLP. An Economic Overview of Children’s Literacy in Canada]

Loonies for Literacy began on World Read Aloud Day – February 1st and will be running until World Book Day – April 23rd. With the support of parents, caregivers, community members, and most importantly students, the goal is to double 2022’s contribution and continue to build a solid foundation of reading materials and resources for the next generation.