Book Harvest and NC State University Announce Strategic Partnership
High-Quality Program Evaluation to Support Goal of Realizing Literacy Equity from Birth through the First Decade of Life
Durham, NC (July 30, 2024): Book Harvest, a nonprofit literacy organization dedicated to books for every child and support for every parent, announced a new partnership with NC State University (NCSU) to optimize Book Harvest’s program effectiveness and impact in realizing children’s literacy equity through comprehensive evaluation planning and support.
John Begeny, Professor of Psychology and founder of an education nonprofit, will serve as the Project Director. Felicia Davidson, a Ph.D. student in the NCSU Applied Social Psychology program, will also be executing the project. Through research and service in the areas of school and community psychology, their work at NCSU advances educational equity nationally and internationally, particularly by improving learning outcomes for children and adolescents.
“As Book Harvest expands its programs to reach more children and families, ensuring these programs are effective and sustainable is crucial,” shared Book Harvest’s founder and CEO Ginger Young. “During this time of ambitious growth, we are thrilled to have the NCSU team by our side to develop and implement a robust evaluation plan to shine a light on the impact of Book Harvest’s programs on early literacy and whole family health.”
Project Director John Begeny added, “This partnership will also support Book Harvest's goals in advocacy, policy influence, and financial sustainability, as it will lead to strategic and comprehensive evaluation practices that ultimately strengthen Book Harvest programs and literacy support for children and families. We are excited to partner with Book Harvest to bolster a plan for measuring what matters, more fully understand the impact of Book Harvest’s work, and be part of an organization that is healthy, collaborative, and truly mission driven.”
Over the next year, the NCSU team will collaborate with Book Harvest to create a comprehensive evaluation plan for core programs in Book Harvest’s Early Literacy System of Care, an aligned suite of programs that start at birth and continue over the first decade of life. In the longer term, this partnership aims to establish Book Harvest as a leader in providing evidence to deliver literacy equity from birth through the first decade of a child’s life. By continuously conducting and disseminating high-quality evaluation and research, Book Harvest aspires to serve as a national model for a deep commitment to evaluation in the field of early literacy.
About Book Harvest:
Book Harvest is internationally recognized for its work to transform children's literacy. Since 2011, Book Harvest has provided 2.3 million books to children and families in North Carolina, ensuring that parents have the tools and power to ignite and strengthen their children's literacy. With programs that are grounded in evidence, Book Harvest believes that literacy starts at birth, in the home, powered by parents, and nourished with books. Learn more at bookharvest.org. Access logos, videos, and b-roll: https://bookharvest.org/media-kit/
About NC State University:
NC State University is a leading public research university in Raleigh, North Carolina, dedicated to addressing societal challenges and improving quality of life through education and innovation.
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Contact: Benay Hicks, Chief External Relations Officer
857-225-5039
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