Parents can get information on the new program on Thursday, Sept. 13 from 3 to 5:30 p.m. "On Sept. 13, we are holding an open house for the whole community. This will be an opportunity for people to have their questions answered and to sign up. We will be on hand to greet the parents when they are picking up the children from school," Willard said. "This is totally voluntary, but I want at least to have every parent have the opportunity to learn about what we are doing."

The Family Literacy Program will help meet one of the goals of St. Patrick School; to empower the parents, Willard said. "Parents are their children's first educators. We will improve schools and communities only when we integrate the parents into the educational process.

"Many parents around the United States were failed by the educational system when they were children," she said. "We are challenging a new frontier in education; we are working to fix what is broken. So essentially, The Family Literacy Program will become our parent educators."

This year's program theme will be called Journey to the Center of the Earth and Beyond. The overall theme will be supported with relevant monthly themes. All family activity components will build upon the specific month's theme. Each of the nine monthly themes become the consistent topic in all aspects of the family activities which include a parent's book club, parent and child activities, field trips, child education activities and a library component.

"I am impressed with what Fishes and Loaves Outreach has to offer," said Willard, of the organization that is based on the premise of "one helping many with so little." Their mission is to strengthen families with self-sufficiency and empowerment through education, she said.

Fishes and Loaves also offers adult tutoring, a 26-week life skills class, support groups, parenting classes and referral services, to name a few, Willard said.

"They have been a non-profit for a long time and they are a Christian ministry. For example, they've taken women off of welfare and they are now nurses. They ask people, 'What is it you think you need the most help with?' and then they work with them.

"You know, we are up to 86 families now and we want to help our parents," Willard said. "The first step in the process is to invite the parents to join. We are thrilled to have this collaboration for our families and the community as a whole."

For more details on the St. Patrick/Loaves and Fishes collaboration, call Judi Willard at St. Patrick School at (217) 523-7670. For specific questions about the mission of The Family Literacy Program, call Barbara Rochelle, education coordinator for Fishes and Loaves at (217) 529-3333.