Connecting with Parents & Caregivers
in Wilmington, Delaware
GIFT CONNECT walks alongside parents, grandparents, and caregivers during the most important window of a child’s life — before they’re even born through age three.
Because the legacy you build right now will last generations.
Delaware is at a crossroads.
The urgency to act is real — and the window to act is now.
of fourth graders are
unable to read at grade level
Delaware’s national
education ranking
Transforming Delaware’s educational future through evidence-based early childhood education starting in Wilmington.
80% of a child’s brain architecture is formed from birth to age three. Most early literacy interventions begin too late, long after this critical window is closed.
The Legacy of Literacy Circle starts where it matters most—at the very beginning.
We equip parents, expecting families, and caregivers with tools that build little ones’ brains, deepen bonds, and set them on a trajectory toward healthy development and kindergarten readiness.
We transform simple, everyday moments into the most powerful learning experiences of a child’s life.
What Makes Us Different?
Most parenting programs focus on what parents are doing wrong.
We begin by celebrating everything they’re already doing right.
The Legacy of Literacy Circle is built on a belief that is both simple and powerful: you are your child’s first and most important teacher.
We know that parents who feel supported, seen, and empowered show up differently for themselves and their children. That’s the transformation we’re here for.
We’re the only program in Delaware operating at the intersection of:
Cutting-Edge Brain Development
Practices grounded in the latest research on early cognitive growth.
The Healing Power of Music
Delaware’s only Carnegie Hall Lullaby Project partner.
Technology-Supported Learning
The GIFT CONNECT Parenting Suite App, available 24/7 between sessions.
Whole-Family Wraparound Support
Meals, childcare during sessions, and transportation help, because showing up is hard when life is hard.
Community that Lasts Beyond the Program
Because the circle doesn’t end at week twelve.
Proven Strategies. Real Results.
Our Six Loving Habits curriculum draws from landmark brain development research and the evidence-based strategies behind the Mississippi Miracle — the most dramatic state literacy turnaround in American history, lifting Mississippi from near-bottom to 21st nationally in fourth-grade reading between 2013 and 2022.
Like Mississippi’s transformation, we believe Delaware’s literacy future is shaped by what happens before kindergarten.
Every $1 invested in quality early childhood development yields an estimated $7 in long-term societal return.
By the Numbers
Outcomes were drawn from our inaugural Delaware cohort, measured through pre- and post-program assessments.
100%
of families now sing daily to their children (up from 50% at program start)
83%
of families report stronger parent-child bonds after completing the program
83%
felt more connected to their community (up from 0% when they walked in)
100%
would recommend the Legacy of Literacy Circle to another family
As we grow, our three-year impact plan projects:
150 families completing the program annually | 300+ children developing on or beyond developmental targets | 25 parent leaders stepping into peer facilitator roles | 80% of participating children showing enhanced school readiness behaviors
Breaking Cycles. Building Legacies.
Many of us were never taught how to be the parent we wanted to have. Generational patterns travel quietly through families, and we are often unaware of them. The Legacy of Literacy Circle creates a space to see those patterns, understand them, and choose something different.
We empower parents to:
- Become the first in their family to do something differently — and the reason their children thrive
- Understand how their own history shapes their parenting — and how to heal forward
- Respond to their child’s cues with confidence, not just instinct
- Build the kind of attachment that protects children across a lifetime
We give parents what they deserve: knowledge, community, and the confidence that comes from knowing exactly what their child needs — and knowing they can give it to them.
Local Partners & Community Supporters
Program Partners:
Interested in Bringing the Legacy of Literacy Circle to Your Community?
The Legacy of Literacy Circle is built to travel. Whether you’re a healthcare organization, a school, a YMCA, a faith community, a housing provider, or a grassroots organization — if you serve families with young children, we want to talk.
Reach out below and let’s explore what a partnership could look like in your community.
