The Rochester Children’s Dyslexia Center recently received a grant of $25,000 from the Odd Fellow & Rebekah Benefit Fund of Lockport, New York. The award will help the Center continue to provide free tutoring to children with dyslexia, and other reading disorders, in Monroe County and surrounding counties.
Ann Kaczka, Executive Director of the Center, remarked, “The mission of the Odd Fellow & Rebekah Benefit Fund is well-matched to our own. And the timing of the grant award was crucial, as we were at a dire crossroads facing the threat of closure due to lack of funding. This gift gives us confidence that we will continue to raise funds from organizations and individuals who understand the impact that specialized one-to-one reading instruction can have on a child who is a struggling reader.”
The award is only the latest turning point for an organization once on the brink of permanent closure. After the center’s original leadership voted to cease all operations in 2019, parents of children served by the program quickly organized, forming a new board and reopening the center. They knew that to cut immediate expenses and stay open, they would have to relocate as soon as possible. When parents Tom and Missy Gangemi heard this, they immediately stepped in to help. They conducted a comprehensive search to scout a suitable location, taking the center’s programmatic needs into account; purchased the building; donated the build-out costs; managed the construction; and are currently providing the space rent-free.
Kaczka adds, “Tom and Melissa Gangemi made the Center’s new home a reality. Their expertise and generosity helped us navigate this critical step and allowed us to focus on the children’s needs first and foremost.”
Bolstered by these recent successes, Kaczka and other Dyslexia advocates hope the Rochester Center will be available to help struggling readers for decades to come.
The Rochester Children’s Dyslexia Center is located at 1549 Empire Boulevard, Webster. For information about receiving training and certification as a tutor or to inquire about tutoring services for your child in grades one through 12, call 424-5390 or visit DyslexiaRochesterNY.org.
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