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Kids Can Fly Brantford
Kids Can Fly supports families in Brantford and Brant County through accessible programs for early learning, connection and growth.

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library Receives $150,000 Grant from SC Johnson

Feb 4, 2021 | Brant County, Brantford, Community, Imagination Library - Gift of Literacy, Kids Can Fly News, Literacy

BRANTFORD, ON, February 4, 2021 – Kids Can Fly is delighted to announce that it has received a $150,000 grant from SC Johnson that will double enrollment in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in Brantford and Brant County.

The grant will be used to provide thousands of age-appropriate high-quality books every month directly to children in the community. Currently, 25% of all children in Brantford and Brant County are enrolled in Imagination Library, a free book gifting program that aims to support early learning by developing early exposure to literacy directly to children in their own homes.  With the SC Johnson grant, the program will expand to reach over 50% of children in our community. Research shows that having even 20 books in a home fosters a love of learning and sets children up for greater success when they start school.

Kids Can Fly is proud to be the local partner of the Dollywood Foundation of Canada, delivering the community-based program to Brantford and Brant County.  “Early literacy programs not only help a child prepare for school by developing early literacy skills and a love for reading, but they also are an investment in a skilled future workforce, leading to sustained economic growth, fuller employment, and increased social justice which pays long-term dividends for the whole community’s prosperity,” says Richard Cook, Kids Can Fly Board Chair. “COVID-19 has illustrated how critically important it is to support learning at home, and how children are impacted when supports are not equal across communities.  By reaching more than half of the children in Brantford and Brant, we hope to help more children start school on equal footing.”

“Reading plays a foundational role in the pathway to success for our future generations,” said Alan VanderMolen, Senior Vice President and Chief Communications Officer of SC Johnson. “We are grateful to support organizations like Kids Can Fly that share our goal of providing opportunities that educate children and enable them to learn and grow.”

Kids Can Fly is starting off 2021 with an enrollment plan to increase the number of children currently registered in the program. Plans include hosting events and registration drives as well as strengthening partnerships with other key organizations in early childhood education, obstetricians and midwives, government partners at the municipal, provincial, and federal levels, school boards, and libraries. With a goal to eventually have all children in Brantford and Brant County registered so that everyone has the same early learning opportunities, they will continue to work with the community to develop more corporate partnerships to support this goal and to build a stronger base of future citizens and employees. Follow the Kids Can Fly website and social media channels for more information on how you can get involved to support early literacy in your community.

SC Johnson

SC Johnson is a family company dedicated to innovative, high-quality products, excellence in the workplace, and a long-term commitment to the environment and the communities in which it operates. Based in the USA, the company is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of household cleaning products and products for home storage, air care, pest control and shoe care, as well as professional products. It markets such well-known brands as GLADE®, KIWI®, OFF! ®, PLEDGE®, RAID®, SCRUBBING BUBBLES®, SHOUT®, WINDEX® and ZIPLOC® in the U.S. and beyond, with brands marketed outside the U.S. including AUTAN®, BAYGON®, BRISE®, KABIKILLER®, KLEAR®, MR MUSCLE® and RIDSECT®. The 135-year-old company employs approximately 13,000 people globally and sells products in virtually every country around the world.   www.scjohnson.com

KIDS CAN FLY, EARLY CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND PARENTING SUPPORT is a registered charity that focuses on early child development and parental support in Brantford and Brant County. Founded in 2001, Kids Can Fly offers a variety of programs focused on parenting support and early childhood development, including Launch Pad, Parachute Program, Roots of Empathy, and Imagination Library. Our local charity is the largest affiliate of the International Dolly Parton Imagination Library in Ontario, mailing almost 2000 books monthly to kids in our community! For more information on programs, including how you can support its work, as well as how to register your child for Imagination Library, visit www.KidsCanFly.ca

Media Contact:

Sharon Brooks

Executive Director

Kids Can Fly
519.448.1713

info@kidscanfly.ca

 

Jeanne Smitiuch

Canada Director

Dollywood Foundation of Canada

519.771.2543

jsmitiuch@imaginationlibrary.ca

 

This program has been supported by a grant from SC Johnson.

 

The 12th Annual Storybook Breakfast was Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!

Feb 5, 2019 | Community Events, Early Learning, Fundraiser, Imagination Library - Gift of Literacy, Kids Can Fly News, Literacy, Reading & Family Storytime

The magic of Mary Poppins set the scene for the 12th Storybook Breakfast on Saturday, February 2 at Celebration Church and 500 people were captured by it.  Babies, children, parents, grandparents, sponsors and volunteers enjoyed the incredible decor – headed by Tara Spangenberger and had the joy of meeting their favourite Storybook Characters.  Headliners, such as, Scaredy Squirrel, Franklin the Turtle, Mary Poppins and Bert were joined by over 30 other popular Storybook Characters.  This popular fundraiser for Kids Can Fly continues to sell out in hours. While providing a delightful experience for young children the Storybook Breakfast is also the major fundraiser for Kids Can Fly each year.

“In 2019, it is a serious challenge for parents to limit their children’s exposure to screens.  We know from research this can be damaging to their development  in addition to preventing them from other healthy activities such as reading, active play and socializing.  Encouraging a love of reading should be modeled by parents and there is no substitute for the bonding that occurs when children snuggle on the couch or at bedtime with a favourite book.  There is NO APP to replace your LAP!  Read to your children for at least 15 minutes everyday!”  Sharon Brooks, Executive Director, Kids Can Fly.

 

“Kids Can Fly aims to show all the children in our community that the world around them is full of amazing opportunities and exciting adventures!  We offer programs that support early literacy such as the Dolly Parton Imagination Library and it is our hope that the books – delivered directly to their home – will spark quality time, conversations and imagination.   The Storybook Breakfast  – while a fundraiser to support our work – also shares this goal to reinforce the lifelong impact of reading to young children”  Sarah Disher-Neddow  Kids Can Fly Chair.

 

 

Kids Can Fly wishes to thank our major sponsors Margot and Paul Williamson, The James Boughner Family Foundation, Findlay Injury Law, Adkins Financial Services and The Brantford Expositor, Whimsical Players and all of the other sponsors and volunteers who help us make the stories come to life.   

Franklin, Sharon Brooks, Executive Director of Kids Can Fly, Heather Wilson Chair, Storybook Breakfast Committee and Scaredy Squirrel

Special Thanks to Heather Wilson who has chaired this event for all 12 years!

Stay tuned for announcement on total funds raised!  

 

SC Johnson has provided over 5000 books to children in Brantford/Brant County

Apr 27, 2015 | Community, Imagination Library - Gift of Literacy, Kids Can Fly News, Literacy

IMG_4414SC Johnson understands the importance of investing in our community.  They invest in many worthy projects in Brantford and Brant County to make it a better place to work and live.  Sue Deveau, Co-Chair: Community Enrichment Team presented Jeanne Smitiuch, Program Coordinator a cheque for the Dolly Parton Imagination Library for their second year of commitment to the Imagination Library.  SC Johnson has donated a total of $60,000 to the program and has assisted in mailing out over 5000 books to children in the community to date.  The group of children that SC Johnson has sponsored will provide important data to access the effectiveness of the program.

The Imagination Library mails a book to a child once a month until they turn five and was started by Dolly Parton in her hometown to give a gift to a child and promote literacy.  The program has grown througout the world and mails out 830,000 books every month in four countries.   The SC Johnson donation have put 500 babies born in 2014 on the program.

We are truly honoured and thankful for SC Johnson’s investment in our community and our future generations.

Another Magical Year!

Feb 23, 2015 | Community, Early Childhood Educators, Early Learning, Kids Can Fly News, Literacy

StorybookBreakfast (2)

Once upon a time in the land of Brant there was a team of people who shared a dream. These people worked tirelessly to bring this dream to life and share this dream with all the children in the land.  One magical Saturday morning in February their dream came true…………….all of their favourite storybook characters came to life!!!! Peter Pan, Elsa, Olaf, Goldie Locks, Thor and so many, many more.

There were minions who worked around the clock decorating this wonderland and preparing the themed tables, serving a hot meal, lugging and slugging tables and chairs, greeting our special guests as they arrived and ensuring no small task was overlooked. These minions were led by their fearless leader who presided over the day and made sure that the sand in the hourglass never quite ran out! This magical morning was truly like it’s very own story and at the end………….the children all left with giggles and smiles and of course “storybooks”.

We are truly a blessed community to have Sharon Brooks as the Executive Director of Kids Can Fly. Her tireless efforts and never-ending positive attitude has made the difference in the lives of thousands of children. Storybook Breakfast came to life 8 years ago and continues to grow under her watchful eye. I am always humbled by Sharon’s dedication, persistence and commitment to the children and families of our community. Thank-you Sharon for letting this dream come to life for all of us.

To our characters, you were the magic of the morning! The squeals of laughter, the hidden smiles and the sheer delight on the faces of the children that you met said it all. This morning cannot happen without all of you. The gift of your time and your presence are irreplaceable and we are so grateful for this. Thank you a million times over!

To our character team, Sarah, Tasha and Janelle. We couldn’t do this without you! Your organizational skills, time management and patience go a long way.

To the ladies who worked tirelessly serving a hot breakfast to the giddy princesses, superheroes and other little storybook characters, thank-you. We had a lot of people to move through that line and we certainly wouldn’t have been able to do so without your helping hands.

To the Kids Can Fly board members and staff that rolled up their sleeves and worked so hard in preparation and on the day, thank you for your tireless efforts.

Each of you brought something special to our magnificent morning and we are so grateful and appreciative.

“Volunteers are not paid, not because they are worthless………………but because they are priceless!”

With Thanks,
Heather Wilson

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Jacob and Edward All Night

Mar 18, 2013 | Kids Can Fly News, Literacy, Midnight Movie Marathon

 

Midnight Movie Marathon - Kids Can Fly

 

GIRL’S NIGHT OUT!

Make it a Girl’s Night out and watch Breaking Dawn 1 & 2 back to back at Kids Can Fly’s annual Midnight Movie Marathon.  On Friday, April 26 the doors will open at 11:45pm at the Brantford Galaxy Cinemas.  Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 at the door.  Get a group of ladies together or make it a Mother/Daughter night and enjoy the last two movies in the Twilight Saga.  Tickets include unlimited pop, popcorn and arcade.     

Proceeds from the event will go directly to the Kids Can Fly Imagination Library.  Children enrolled in the Imagination Library receive a free book in the mail each month from birth to five years old.  Imagination Library builds the early literacy skills that are important for success in school and creates  parent/child bond that will last a lifetime.  This is more than just books..it is an investment of time in a child’s growth. 

In addition to the Breaking Dawn movies, the marathon will feature Hunger Games, The Amazing Spiderman and The Dark Knight Rises.

 Must be 14 or have adult accompaniment. Cash or cheque at the door.

To pay on-line for advance tickets go to:

 Register for Event

** For rules and more details  Movie Marathon rules and details