Founded in July, 2008, the Marylee Chaski Charitable Corporation (MCIII) honors the life and memory of Marylee Evans Chaski through charitable grants to individuals and organizations supporting the life cycle of literacy. Literacy is the fundamental technology.

Just as a seed must be planted in the appropriate environment and cultivated with correct practices so that it can replicate itself by producing an abundance of new seed, literacy has a life cycle. The first phase –or the planting- is preliteracy, the environmental factors which enable a person to acquire reading and writing. The second phase –or the cultivating- is  the practice of literacy, the cultivation of environmental factors and skills in dealing with life situations, making literacy a part of everyday life. The third phase –or the fruiting- is the productivity of literacy, the use of literacy to re-create literacy in others and to create art for others.

Phase 1: Preliteracy and Acquisition

Literacy is first acquired in an environment that is conducive to literacy. This preliteracy environment must provide physical safety and adequate nutrition as well as access to reading and writing materials. Risk factors for the preliteracy phase include trauma, malnutrition, neglect and inadequate literacy materials. Someone who is in an emotionally traumatizing or threatening environment and someone who does not get adequate and daily food will not acquire literacy well, but most people who have an emotionally safe environment with an adequate and healthy food supply will acquire literacy when the skill is presented.

Therefore, MCIII supports literacy acquisition through providing sources of safety and nutrition in environments where literacy is presented. For instance, we support programs for reading aloud to pre-literate children because these programs provide a safe environment enhancing a child’s security through individual adult attention. Further, we are seeking to support such programs by providing a nutrition component so that the child can receive a healthy snack as well as literacy instruction.

Phase 2: Practice of Literacy and Maintenance

Once literacy is acquired, it must be practiced. The practice of literacy has been linked to emotional safety in dealing with traumas. Writing about personal traumas is a proven method for regaining psychological health. The practice of literacy has also been shown to enhance employment in the service economy. The practical environment supportive of literacy is similar to the preliterate environment with heightened access to reading and writing materials (books, journals, electronic media).  However, the practice of literacy can be diminished or enhanced by the human developmental process:  practicing literacy requires the physical ability to handle paper media, to hold books, to see computer screens and so forth. Risk factors for the maintenance phase of literacy include restricted access to books, paper and electronic media, physical limitations, homelessness, poverty and economic pressures to spend resources in ways that do not maintain literacy.

Therefore, MCIII supports the practice of literacy through providing books, paper and computers in environments where access may be limited or special equipment may be required. For instance, we support programs that provide reading and writing materials to women’s crisis centers, homeless shelters and nursing homes. Further, we are seeking to provide food as well as books and electronic equipment in such environments where needed.

Phase 3: Productivity of Literacy and Creativity

The practice of literacy produces the fruit: the desire to teach others the skill of literacy and the desire to use the skill of literacy for artistic expression. Risk factors at the productivity phase lack of funding for teacher education, lack of funding for artists, and lack of community support for artistic expression.

Therefore, MCIII seeks to support individuals through scholarships for undergraduate and graduate study in teacher education, creative writing, communications, journalism, linguistics, translation and theatre. For instance, we support scholarships to undergraduate and graduate students at Salisbury University (Salisbury, Maryland) and graduate students at the University of Delaware (Newark, Delaware). Further, we are seeking to provide individual post-graduate support to artists in theatre and opera as well as organization support to theatre and opera companies.

Marylee Chaski taught us that the God-given potential of each human being can be nurtured to fulfill God’s purposes for the kingdom of heaven on earth. We believe that this potential, like any seed, requires the right environment and proper cultivation to bring forth fruit worthy of the kingdom. Characteristics of this fruitful environment are safety, nutrition, literacy, learning and creativity.

Throughout her life, Marylee Chaski modeled the laws of sowing and overcoming. She showed that by sowing into the lives of others, our own lives are blessed. She showed that by overcoming evil with good, both the good and the evil are blessed. She provided safety and a welcome table to all she could, she taught literacy to hundreds, and she excelled in scholarship and artistic creativity. We honor her values in recognizing and rewarding the potential of each grantee.

The Bible teaches that we are not yet what we will be. Each photograph on this website shows a fruit or flower or field at some stage of growth. Just as we are grateful to be growing, we believe in each grantee’s potential to reach full maturity and fruitful service.

Incorporated in Delaware, MCIII has obtained tax-exempt

status as a 501(c)3 charitable organization from the

United States Internal Revenue Service