Supporting Literacy in Solano County

Annual Report 2020

The Year in Review

Prepared by Beth Shedden

Immediate Past President

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Our Mission  

The mission of the Solano County Library Foundation (SCLF) is to support the programs of the Solano County Library and the literacy and lifelong learning needs of the community it serves. Since its establishment in December 1994, the Foundation has raised more than $5 million dollars.

2020 Board of Directors 

President, Beth Shedden

Vice President, Jan Stevens

Past President, Frances McCullough, Ed.D

Treasurer,  Manuel R. Lawrence

Secretary, Verneal Brumfield

Member-at-Large, Bonnie Hamilton M.D.

Director of Library Services, Bonnie A. Katz (Ex-Officio Member)

Board Members: 

Verona Boucher

Shantelle “Ladybug” Brumfield

Sandra Gonzalez

Alma Hernandez

Manveer Sandhu

Ravi C. Shankar, BSEE, MBA

Honorary Members: Jennifer Barton and James Moehrke

Staff

Office Administrator, Colleen Porter

History

Since its inception in 1994, the Solano County Library Foundation has raised more than $5 million dollars for Library literacy programs. We raise funds for library programs not supported by tax dollars.

 Wi-Fi Hotspot Program

During the pandemic, many students without internet access could not attend their online classes and were falling behind. The Solano County Library, aware of the need for internet access, purchased Wi-Fi Hotspots that could be checked out from the library making internet access possible. Due to the support of many generous donors the Solano County Library Foundation was able to help underwrite the cost of these much-needed Wi-Fi Hotspots. 

See “Programs We Supported” below for more information.

Solano County Library Literacy Programs We Supported in 2020

· Reach Out and Read Pediatric Clinics Gave Out 12,489 Books in 2020, Despite the Pandemic!

Pediatricians at 14 partnering clinics joined us in fostering a love of reading by including stories in all well child visits for kids 5 and under. Medical providers talk with parents about the benefits of reading aloud and sharing stories with their young children beginning at birth. This makes for unmatched access to families during the years from birth to age five—a period of critical brain development.  Parents are shown how to best engage their children with the text and images and make the stories come alive. Families gain a deeper understanding of why they should make reading a daily habit and leave inspired to cuddle up with their young one and a book.

We provide sibling books and maintain a bookstand with free books for parents and children to access while they are waiting to be seen by the Pediatrician.

· Students had 12,581 Sessions with Tutor.com

While we are aware that much of the increase was in response to the pandemic, the number of sessions held on Tutor.com in 2020 is more than DOUBLE the number of sessions for 2019. It is heartening to see that so many students took advantage of this program, at a time when learning live became learning digitally.

Tutor.com is a Learning Suite that combines live online tutoring, homework help, and test preparation with highly qualified tutors in a variety of subjects from Algebra, Calculus and Statistics to English, Chemistry, and Physics. Every session is one-to-one and personalized to the student’s subject and questions. Students access this free site using their Solano County Library card via the Solano County Library website. SCLF and other major donors fund these sessions.

· Solano Kids Read Suspended For 2020

Solano Kids Read is a free, countywide reading project that encourages reading for entertainment, inspiration, and delight. Working closely with the schools, the Solano Kids Read (SKR) program brings authors and kids together to discuss writing and reading and to encourage a free-ranging conversation. Authors sign books for the kids. Meeting an author is a significant piece of the program, which is funded by the Solano County Library Foundation. Unfortunately, the pandemic forced the Library to suspend this program in 2020, with high hopes of bringing it back in 2021.

· Adult Literacy

This literacy program served 312 adult students in 2020 including one-on-one tutoring, group tutoring and independent learning opportunities while waiting for a tutor. Total number of instructional hours received by students: 11,427, Literacy Tutor/Volunteers: 196 - Total Volunteer Hours provided: 23,295 

Our Year in Events and Activities

Thirteenth Annual National Women’s History Month Celebration Cancelled   

The Solano County League of Women Voters was selected as our award recipient for 2020, in honor of their centennial. As the pandemic began to take hold, we first postponed our annual award luncheon to August, and then, sadly, were forced to cancel it altogether. The preponderance of paid attendees and sponsors allowed the Foundation to retain their funds as donations, and while we did not have a live event, we did see the League honored by the Board of Supervisors on July 23, 2020.

· Twentieth Annual Authors Luncheon Goes Virtual!

2020 was the 20th anniversary of the Solano County Library Foundation's major fundraiser, the annual Authors Luncheon. Because of the Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent cancellation of in-person events, we were unable to hold our event live. We met the challenge and learned how to hold our first Virtual Authors Luncheon. Our online guests were entertained by authors: Catherine Coulter, Lisa See, Ryan McCulloch, Suzanne Cotsakos, Sheldon Siegel, and Pamela Samuels Young. As a tribute to our 20th anniversary, we invited our favorite authors who had participated in previous years. Suzanne Bruce, our MC interviewed the authors and viewers reported how much they enjoyed getting to know the authors with our new virtual format. Verona Boucher, Chair of the event and her committee thank our sponsors and donors for their generous support during these difficult times. 

Giving Tuesday – Give Local Solano

This December 1st fundraiser netted $425 in just one day! Thank you to our partners at the Solano Community Foundation for hosting this event!

Distinctive 2020 Literacy Gifts 

NorthBay Healthcare  

A special thank you to Steve Huddleston, Dr. Judy Yang, and all at NorthBay Healthcare for their enduring, early literacy support through Reach Out and Read (ROAR) for many years.

Kaiser Permanente

Thank you to Kaiser Permanente for generously underwriting our Women’s History Luncheon and allowing us to retain the funds as a donation. We are grateful for your continued support.

Genentech

Thank you to Genentech for your deeply appreciated $10,000 contribution to help fund Tutor.com. We are so grateful for your support over the years, but this last year, especially so. Tutor.com has more than doubled its sessions during the pandemic and Genentech helped to make that possible.

Thanks for Exceptional Literacy Support!

Our Financial Well-Being (Year-End for 2020)

Prepared from the books and records of Solano County Library Foundation

Assets 

$ 118,283 in restricted funds securely held for Solano County Library programs

$ 201,365 unrestricted (bank accounts, deposits, and investments)

$319,648

Liabilities: None

Revenue

$ 51,094 for Grants and Memorials

$110,138 for Fundraising, Events, Membership

$161,232

Disbursements and Expenses

$ 41,000 to Solano County Programs and Memorial Funds

$ 12,318 to Event Expenses

$ 31,537 to Operating Expenses

$ 84,855

Total Net Revenue

$ -8673

Our Supporters

Thank you for your generosity and belief in our work. Every donation made to the Solano County Library Foundation makes a difference. Following is a list of supporters who contributed $500 or more in 2019. 

Jennifer Barton                                                         Douglas Neuhauser and Louise Kellogg                 

Monica Brown                                                            NorthBay Healthcare

Dar & Bob Bruley                                                       Craig and Carole Paterson

Verneal Brumfield                                                     PayPal Giving Fund

Steven and Georgia Chun                                        Martha Pierce 

Birgitta Corsello                                                        Charlene Ping

Ann Cousineau                                                          Recology

Justin Cullum                                                            Desiree Ramos

George and Bernadette Curry                                 Lynn Recknagel

Lisette Estrella-Henderson                                     Republic Services, Inc.

Genentech                                                                  Gerald and Beth Shedden

Gail Grimm                                                                 Solano Community Foundation

Bonnie Hamilton, MD                                               Solano County Chapter of Links, Inc.

Barbara Jordan                                                         Solano County League of Women Voters

Kaiser Permanente                                                  Jan Stevens

Makenzi Knoll                                                           Jeanne Strong

Teresa Lavell                                                             Travis Credit Union

Frances and Leo McCullough                                 Travis Spouses Club                          

Niles M. Medders                                                      Verona Boucher

Jim and Deb Moehrke                                               Isabelle J. Voit

Anna Morgan                                                              Ash B. Varma, MD

Network for Good                                                      The Wiseman Company

Solano County Library Foundation

601 Kentucky Street
Fairfield, CA 94533
707-421-8075

solanolibraryfoundation@gmail.com

www.SolanoLibraryFoundation.org