Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana announced on Wednesday a donation of $45,000 to the Gary Literacy Coalition. The monies will support the literacy coalition’s Pilot Community Reading Program, designed to help elementary and middle school students reading below grade level improve literacy skills and develop a lifelong love of reading.
An oversized guitar-shaped check was presented to the Gary Literacy Coalition July 22 at Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana.
“Education opens doors to opportunity, and strong reading skills provide the foundation for lifelong success,” Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana President Matt Schuffert said in a statement. “We are proud to partner with the Gary Literacy Coalition to help more people discover the joy of reading while giving families the tools they need to support learning at home. Investing in literacy is an investment in the future of our communities.”
The Pilot Community Reading Program provides targeted literacy intervention through small-group instruction, access to high-quality books, literacy kits, instructional materials, and family engagement activities. The investment from Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana will allow the Gary Literacy Coalition to expand its reach and provide additional resources to help students build reading confidence, fluency and comprehension.
The funding will:
- Serve 60-80 K-8 students through direct literacy intervention.
- Provide about 1,200 books for students and their families.
- Supply literacy kits and take-home resources to encourage reading beyond the classroom.
- Increase family engagement in literacy activities.
- Improve reading confidence, fluency and comprehension among participating students.
“This generous investment from Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana will make a meaningful difference in the lives of students and families throughout Gary,” said Gary Literacy Coalition Executive Director Lori Johnson Kuykendall. “Their support will allow us to place more books into children’s hands, expand literacy programming and strengthen family engagement, helping young readers build the skills and confidence they need to succeed in school and beyond. We are grateful for Hard Rock’s commitment to our community and to the future of our children.”
