(Your Address)

(Date)

The Honorable (Senator's name or Representative's name)
United States (Senate or House of Representatives)
Address
City, State, Zip

Dear Senator (name) or Congressman (name):

(First paragraph tells briefly who you are and the purpose of the letter)

I am writing to urge your support of Even Start Family Literacy during this Congressional Session. As the Director of ABCD Even Start for the past five years, I have seen the difference that our program makes in the lives of impoverished and undereducated New City parents who have not graduated from high school or who do not speak English.

(Second and third paragraph gives information about your program and the reasons your program is important to the families you serve. Include key information on all four components of Even Start -- early childhood education, interactive literacy, parenting education and adult education.)

ABCD Even Start is an intensive family literacy program that addresses the educational needs of low income families in New City. During our program week, we provide an early childhood program, GED and ESL classes, computer and workplace literacy classes, parenting education, interactive literacy, and integrated instruction in the home for parents and their children. Our goal is to improve children's language and literacy by helping parents to become increasingly literate, more skilled, and better prepared for employment. Improving all of these skills helps parents support their children's learning and sustains their family independence. Ours is the only educational program in New City that provides intensive early childhood education while concurrently providing education and support services to their parents.

(Fourth paragraph should provide data about the successes of students in your program and/or in your state. Provide qualitative AND quantitative information if you have it.)

ABCD Even Start has served over 100 families in five years. Our children have made significant gains. On the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT), 80% of the students in kindergarten through the third grade improved their relative vocabulary twice as much as expected in 8 months of learning. Twelve parents earned their GEDs. Fifteen more parents participated in further education and training at the Community College and elsewhere, and 23 parents obtained jobs.

(Fifth paragraph to state what specific action you want taken.)

Now is a critical time for Even Start Family Literacy programs. The President has requested that funding be eliminated, and I understand that the House and Senate are grappling with many difficult financial choices. However, investment now in the neediest families in our communities - those with the highest poverty and the lowest literacy - will result in children who are prepared for success in school because their parents are teaching and advocating for them every day.

(Ending)
Your support of Even Start in the (Senate or House of Representatives) is greatly appreciated
(or)

I invite you to visit ABCD Even Start. I know that our students who have directly benefited from this program are the best ones to explain to you how important it is to them. I will call in the next couple of weeks to make arrangements for you to talk to our students. (Then do it! Follow up with the appointment secretary.)

Sincerely,

(Your name)
(Your phone number, e-mail address, etc. if it is not written elsewhere on the letter)