VANCOUVER - The Downtown Eastside's largest health service (VNHS - vnhs.net) has launched a unique fund-raising drive to raise money for a large scale, long-term literacy program.

This drive is part of a larger program to create a social enterprise - The VASE - to generate revenue, provide employment and to promote literacy and early childhood education initially in one of Canada’s most marginalized urban areas – the Downtown Eastside - and afterwards throughout B.C.

How does it work? Literacy Lights sell for $20.00 – 50% of the profits goes to Shine A Light on Literacy's own projects the other 50% goes into a Literacy Fund for community-based literacy projects around the province.

We are signing up corporate sponsors, merchants, banks, restaurants, businesses, real estate agents, car dealers and community organizations to help 'Shine A Light on Literacy.' Look for us in your neighbourhood this summer as we are canvassing from door to door with our 'cool' hand crank flashlights. Our goal is to sell 100,000 Literacy Lights and raise over $1,000,000.00 by 2008.

What would you do if 80% of your children:
• Lived in poverty.
• Failed to complete high school?
• Were 8 times more likely to end up in jail?
• And were 6 times more likely to commit suicide?

Wouldn’t you DO SOMETHING?

Please Join Us.