“The Kingsbridge Library opening on Sundays is more than just expanded hours; it’s an open door to literacy and community. Families now have more opportunities to read together, explore new stories, and connect with one another. LINC is proud to continue our partnership with the library to make these moments possible because literacy is essential to community strength. At LINC, we believe that when a child reads, a community succeeds, and Sunday openings ensure more families can share in that success.”–Laura Walsh, Chief Program Officer, LINC  Who:  ● NYC Council Member Eric Dinowitz  ● Congressman Adriano Espaillat  ● Bronx Borough…

LINC is proud to play a key role in shaping the future of early literacy in New York City. Working alongside the Center for Public Research & Leadership, the NYC Department of Early Education, and Dr. Alan L. Mendelsohn (NYU Grossman School of Medicine, NYC Health + Hospitals, Founding Director and Principal Investigator of PlayReadVIP), among other literacy advocates, we are expanding the promise of NYC Reads. Now, with the Early Childhood Design Sprint, NYC Reads is turning their attention to the first five years of life—where reading readiness truly begins, and where LINC’s expertise lies. This focus on early…

Literacy in Community (LINC) is proud to return as an official charity partner for the 2025 TCS New York City Marathon! We’re hard at work helping our team train for an exhilarating 26.2-mile journey through the five boroughs of New York City. Joining seasoned runners from across the world, the LINC squad will undertake this limits-testing race on Sunday, November 2. As they work up their endurance over the coming months, each member of LINC’s team will also be working to build resilience and confidence for families across New York by raising funds for early literacy. Their proceeds will go…

The Conversations We’re Proposing Literacy in Community (LINC) is excited to share that we are in the running to present at SXSW EDU 2026 with three different proposed sessions—and we need your help during the community voting phase to strengthen our chances of being selected. If chosen, these sessions will bring LINC’s community-based literacy vision to an audience of educators, leaders, and innovators from across the country. Each proposal reflects a different facet of our work—connecting schools, families, and communities to ensure every child can read. How to Vote for LINC Community voting for SXSW EDU is open August 5–24, 2025. Every…

We’re thrilled to share some exciting news — our annual adventure Reading on the Rails was recently featured on BronxNet Today, highlighting our mission to bring books and storytelling directly into the hands of young readers across the city! ???? Watch Our Segment Now at: https://tinyurl.com/bxnet25 We were honored to have reporters from BronxNet join our families during their excursion from their local train station at Kingsbridge Road all the way down to Coney Island. All along the way, we read stories and shared fun activities as a reminder to families across the city that reading is fun, and learning…

We did it! On Tuesday, July 22, over 300 Literacy in Community (LINC) families read their way across the five boroughs during LINC’s 11th Annual Reading on the Rails event, showing the world that reading can take place anywhere.  A sea of families in blue t-shirts streamed into Coney Island’s Stillwell Station, coming from almost every train line (and the Staten Island Ferry!) to make their way to this year’s final destination, the Coney Island Boardwalk.  At LINC, we know that reading that can take place anywhere – on the subway or bus; in bodegas and markets; at the laundromat…

 ****Media Advisory****    Literacy in Community (LINC) Announces Annual Reading on the Rails Summer Adventure: Sea LINC Read on Tuesday, July 22!  NEW YORK, NY, July 14, 2025 – Whether you “Take the A Train” or a harbor cruise on the Staten Island ferry, you will be in good company on July 22. That’s the day Literacy in Community (LINC), a leading early literacy nonprofit, will hold its 11th annual Reading on the Rails event. This year’s motif is: Sea LINC Read, in recognition of our destination – Coney Island. With the support of lovino Enterprises,* this city-wide reading adventure demonstrates in real…

June 30th marked the conclusion of City’s First Readers’ 10th year serving families across New York City with early literacy programming. It’s been a decade of great impact and momentum for City’s First Readers (CFR) and we are incredibly grateful to the  New York City Council for its ongoing commitment to our collaboration. The dynamic coalition of 17 partner organizations that comprise CFR is stronger than ever and consistently moving the needle forward on early literacy. CFR member organizations have built strong, lasting partnerships with leading cultural institutions such as botanical gardens and children’s museums, facilitated health fairs in conjunction…

Last week, LINC kicked off one of our Upper Manhattan programs with an inspiring new partner, the Family Enrichment Center of Washington Heights and Inwood (FEC), and once again opened doors to additional resources for families who live in this community.  FEC graciously hosted the event and provided refreshments through their partnership with a local staple, Café Bloom. They also generously donated five Target gift cards which we raffled off during the event, generating enthusiasm and engagement with LINC programming. During LINC’s Reading Discovery program, LINC staff took a moment to celebrate our Champion Parents by presenting them with certificates in…

We invite you to join a Design Sprint focused on advancing literacy coherence in early childhood care settings—from birth to kindergarten—all in service of ensuring a fully literate school-age population in NYC. We will have multiple sessions, both in-person and virtual, and invite you to pick the date which works best for you. Our Goal: All School-Aged Children in NYC are fully literate by 2035! Early childhood is where the foundation for literacy is built and early childhood providers and programs are at the heart of that work. Research shows that early language and literacy skills are powerful predictors of long-term academic success.…

On June 3, Assemblymembers Amanda Septimo and Karines Reyes joined the Puerto Rican Hispanic Task Force, elected officials, community leaders, and representatives from various Latino-serving organizations, all of whom comprise Latinos United for Change (LUCHA) to announce an historic $30 million in the state budget awarded to support New York’s Latino Community.  Literacy in Community’s (LINC) Senior Director of Advocacy and Strategic Initiatives, Albania Jimenez and Director of Strategic Initiatives, Karen Rogel participated in the press conference at the Juan Pablo Duarte Foundation for this extraordinary moment.   Latinas must be full participants in the civic, cultural, and economic life of…

If there’s one thing LINC does best, it’s building meaningful, lasting relationships. One of them started 27 years ago with Debora Mulrain, an employee, a friend, a mentor, a colleague, a visionary, an all around extraordinary woman, who was hand picked by our founder Mimi Levin Lieber.  Debora Mulrain, a parent of five herself, started as a Community Coordinator in 1998 and this week she retires as Chief Community Officer.    Debora distributed books, she recruited families, she delivered reading programs, she built relationships and nurtured them.  She learned, first hand, just how challenging the job was but also how rewarding…

On May 16, LINC hosted a heartfelt and vibrant celebration of our Very Involved Parents (VIPs) at the In Full Bloom event, honoring their growth, leadership, and continued impact in the community. The event brought together 26 dedicated VIP alumni—some of whom have been part of the LINC family for over 10–15 years—highlighting the long-standing and deeply rooted commitment of our parents. We were thrilled to welcome our partner organizations to this celebration: Ariel Ferriera of The World Changers delivered an empowering financial literacy workshop that helped instill the importance of a strong foundation. Jennifer Gonzales from Grow Your Own and Jocelyn LeBron…

Gotham Hall was filled with good cheer and generosity last night at our Spring Gala! A big thanks to everyone who made the evening a huge success. Champion for Children Award winner Susie Jaramillo of Encantos talked about the importance of creating spaces for literacy in community. Featured speaker Yaretzi Canete shared how her early years in LINC programs have helped shape her academic success. And the room rose to its feet in an ovation not once, but twice, when Debora Mulrain, LINC’s Chief Community Officer, was presented with the Mimi Levin Lieber Legacy Award for nearly three decades of service to LINC communities.…

Event will be held at Gotham Hall on Monday, May 19 NEW YORK, NY, May 9, 2025– Literacy in Community (LINC) will be sending a message that investment in early literacy is crucial and that diversity in children’s literature matters at its upcoming Spring Gala, Monday, May 19 at Gotham Hall.  “Early childhood programs are not exempt from the turmoil currently taking place in our country around funding for education and community programs,” said Shari Levine, LINC’s Executive Director. “Early literacy is crucial to every good outcome for children as they grow. We can make sure every child has the…

In April, City’s First Readers (CFR) brought early literacy outdoors! With four free garden programs, CFR offered toddlers and their families a chance to explore nature while developing essential early learning skills. Children discovered the joys of reading and playful exploration in the beauty of gardens across the city. The first program was held at the MET Cloisters on April 14, followed by the Queens Botanical Garden on April 15, the Brooklyn Botanic Garden on April 16, and on Earth Day, April 22, CFR held its final event at Wave Hill. Families had a chance to learn, play, and win prizes…

WE ARE HONORED TO BE PRESENTING THE MIMI LEVIN LIEBER LEGACY AWARD TO DEBORA MULRAIN! “I see myself as the keeper of LINC’s original message. It’s not a hard job because I’m happy to say we are all still working toward the original goal.” – Debora Mulrain, LINC’s Chief Community Officer LINC’s Chief Community Officer, Debora Mulrain (or “Ms. Deb” as she is affectionately known by many in the LINC community) is one the longest-standing employee here at LINC. She joined the staff in 1998, just two short years after LINC was founded… and has been with us ever since! “Why I…

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 22, 2025 New York City Mayoral Candidates Affirm Literacy as a Civil Right at Forum NEW YORK, NY – Today, New York City mayoral candidates laid out their plans to make literacy a top priority, calling it a fundamental civil right and a gateway to lifelong opportunity. Hosted by Advocates for Children of New York, EdTrust–New York, ExpandED Schools, Educators for Excellence, Literacy in Community (LINC), the Literacy Academy Collective, and the Windward School, the virtual forum brought the city’s urgent literacy crisis to the forefront of the 2025 mayoral race. Meisha Porter, former Chancellor of NYC…