Free Library of Philadelphia Foundation

The Free Library of Philadelphia offers a suite of literacy enrichment programs in neighborhood libraries throughout the city that touch the lives of thousands of children and their families. That includes:

The Literacy Enrichment Afterschool Program (LEAP) a free drop-in program that, in 2019, provided nearly 150,000 students in grades K-12 with a safe and supportive place to go after the school day ends. Grounded in the Free Library’s mission to “advance literacy, guide learning, and inspire curiosity,” as well as in the public library’s commitment to be an open and accessible community resource, LEAP is much more than an out-of-school time program. It is a crucial initiative, found in every neighborhood in Philadelphia, that provides after school mentoring, homework assistance, access to computers, healthy snacks, individualized tutoring, and trauma-informed care

The Free Library of Philadelphia’s Summer of Wonder program has three primary goals: to support and enhance literacy skills for all ages; to foster a love of reading and learning for all Philadelphians; and to help combat summer slide, a real concern for children and teens in some of the most challenged communities in Philadelphia.

Read by 4th works to empower families with the knowledge, skills, and resources to support language and literacy development at home.

Read Baby Read aims to increase the availability of early education for families in Philadelphia’s low-income communities by helping to build early language skills in infants and toddlers and provide support for their parents and caregivers.

Literacy in Early Learning Spaces provides ongoing professional support for Early Childhood Educators who teach in a Child Care setting.