NEXT WEEK: Chelsea Clinton, Clinton Foundation, and Laundry Literacy Coalition expand early learning work at LaundryCares Literacy Summit in Chicago on March 19-20, 2019
For Immediate Release: March 15, 2019
Contact: press@clintonfoundation.org
NEXT WEEK: Chelsea Clinton, Clinton Foundation, and Laundry Literacy Coalition expand early learning work at LaundryCares Literacy Summit in Chicago on March 19-20, 2019
The Laundry Literacy Coalition – a national alliance between the Clinton Foundation’s Too Small to Fail program, the LaundryCares Foundation, and Libraries Without Borders – will bring together experts, academics, funders, and small-business owners to support children and families though laundromats across the country.
Chelsea Clinton to mark the opening of an early literacy and playful learning space at local laundromat on March 20
To attend the summit or laundromat visit, please email press@clintonfoundation.org
Chicago, Ill.– Next week, Chelsea Clinton and Laundry Literacy Coalition partners – Too Small to Fail, the LaundryCares Foundation, and Libraries Without Borders — will bring together national literacy organizations, small-business owners, researchers, and experts at the second annual LaundryCares Literacy Summit. The convening will explore ways organizations can work together in communities across the country to create playful learning spaces that can better support children and families with the early literacy resources they need to have the best possible start in life.
A full agenda for planning purposes can be found here.
In addition to Chelsea Clinton, vice chair of the Clinton Foundation, featured speakers will include: Brian Wallace, CEO of the Coin Laundry Association; Adam Echelman, executive director of Libraries Without Borders; Patti Miller, CEO of Too Small to Fail; Dr. Dana Suskind, founder and director of the Thirty Million Words Initiative at the University of Chicago; Dr. Susan Neuman, professor of childhood and literacy education at NYU Steinhardt; Brian Bannon, commissioner and CEO at Chicago Public Library; and Ralph Smith, managing director at The Campaign for Grade-Level Reading.
Chelsea Clinton visits Wash Time Laundromat
Chelsea Clinton and the Laundry Literacy Coalition will unveil a new playful learning space at a local Chicago laundromat with remarks and storytime led by Chelsea Clinton, the Chicago Public Library, and Encore.org’s Gen2Gen campaign. The visit will include a tour of the facility, a reading of Too Small to Fail’s newly released children’s book “DJ’s Busy Day,” and brief remarks from partners.
Where: Wash Time Laundromat – 4748 W. Fullerton Ave., Chicago, Ill. 60639
When: 9:45-11:15 a.m. CDT
RSVP: press@clintonfoundation.org
Since 2015, Too Small to Fail, the LaundryCares Foundation, and Libraries Without Borders have launched several initiatives to deliver high-quality early literacy resources and outreach programs directly into local self-service laundromats to meet families where they are and support young children’s early brain and language development.
“Laundry & Literacy Spaces” are playful, literacy-rich areas to help prompt language-rich activities like talking, reading, singing, writing, and playing among young children and their parents/caregivers. These spaces include a sofa, bookshelf filled with high-quality children’s books, puppets, crayons, in-store signage for parents, an alphabet rug, blocks, magnetic letters, and family tip sheets.
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ABOUT TOO SMALL TO FAIL
Too Small to Fail, the early childhood initiative of the Clinton Foundation, promotes early brain and language development by supporting parents and caregivers with tools to talk, read, and sing with their young children from birth. Today, almost 60 percent of children in the United States start kindergarten unprepared, lagging behind their peers in critical language and reading skills. Through partnerships with pediatricians, hospitals, faith-based leaders, community-based organizations, businesses, entertainment industry leaders, and others, Too Small to Fail is meeting parents where they are to help them prepare their children for success in school and beyond. Whether at the pediatrician's office or the playground, Too Small to Fail aims to make small moments big by creating opportunities for meaningful interactions anytime, anywhere. Learn more at www.toosmall.org.
ABOUT LAUNDRYCARES FOUNDATION
The LaundryCares Foundation is dedicated to helping laundromat owners provide services through their stores such as Free Laundry Days and Childhood Literacy Resources to families in underserved communities. Visit us at https://www.laundrycares.org.
ABOUT LIBRARIES WITHOUT BORDERS
Libraries Without Borders (LWB) works to ensure that regardless of their circumstances, people throughout the world can live with dignity and the opportunity to thrive through access to information, education and culture. More than a simple collection of books, a library is a tool that can be leveraged to fight instability and social inequality, allowing people to develop creative energies and build new livelihood skills. LWB focuses on building libraries and developing innovative tools, curating and creating content, and devising trainings that enable facilitators to share their expertise and bring libraries to life for people across the globe. LWB’s three main areas of intervention are: Humanitarian and post-conflict; Education and culture for all; and Social entrepreneurship. Visit us at