Donors and governments offered support

LLC deeply appreciates the financial support it received in support of its literacy programs.

Funding from a variety of sources made it possible for LLC to support local literacy councils, to hire national field service staff, and to launch national programs in workplace and family literacy.

Ongoing support from the Office of Literacy and Essential Skills (formerly the National Literacy Secretariat) was crucial to LLC from 1988 onward. Throughout the 1990s, Canada Post Corporation funded LLC’s program Creating a Learning Culture in the Home as well as paying the printing costs of Literacy Connections.

Provincial governments offered support for LLC initiatives in various provinces.

Over the years, corporate sponsors included major banks, companies, and foundations. Individual donors provided support during annual appeals. In-kind support was offered by a Celtic music group and by book publishers.

LLC’s patrons

A series of Governors-General acted as national patrons for LLC. Other longtime patrons from across Canada included: Hon. Marion Reid, Mr. Albert Hickman, Mr. John W. Irwin, Mr. Ben Wicks, Mr. G. Wallace F. McCain, Rev. Kenn Ward, Mr. Andrew Nikiforuk, and Mr. Pierre Berton.

A special champion

Senator Joyce Fairbairn knew and supported LLC’s presidents, students, and grassroots projects from the time she was named as Special Advisor on Literacy, through LLC’s move to its Ottawa office in 2004, and until the final days in 2008. Her support has been deeply appreciated.

Juel Weideman, Karen Ingalls, Wendy Seys, Sarah Mills, and Karen Smith (seated) Beatrice Arbo, Gladys Neale and Shirley Hansen

For many years, “the girls at the D.O.” was a common way to refer to the Development Office (D.O.) staff based in Bedford, Quebec. In 1995, the staff included (from left to right) Juel Weideman, Karen Ingalls, Wendy Seys, Sarah Mills, and Karen Smith (seated).

At the Book Distributorship (later the New Readers Bookstore), longtime staff included Beatrice Arbo (left) and Shirley Hansen (right). Gladys Neale (centre) was Director of the distributorship, a role she assumed as head of the Publications Committee of the national Board of Directors.