Benetech adds prominent VC to board, makes two key management hires

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Palo Alto, CA, May 22, 2003: Benetech, the leading Silicon Valley technology development nonprofit, announced today that it has received a $50,000 grant from the Severns Family Foundation of Los Gatos, CA to support the creation of the ALL-Link Literacy Learning Service, an online service that will provide best practices reading and writing instruction to beginning adolescent and adult readers. Benetech will develop a demonstration version of ALL-Link while raising funds to complete and launch ALL-Link as a nonprofit enterprise.

ALL-Link is the first electronic educational tool for beginning readers that includes the three essential elements of literacy instruction – reading comprehension, word study and writing instruction. Designed by two leading experts in the field, Dr. Karen Erickson and Dr. David Koppenhaver of the Center for Literacy and Disability Studies at UNC-Chapel Hill, ALL-Link is targeted to students with developmental disabilities such as autism and Down Syndrome and will also have great value for English as a Second Language (ESL) and adult literacy learners.

Unfortunately, most high-interest, low-level reading materials do not meet the needs of these groups. Existing materials start at the second grade level, frustrating efforts to engage beginning readers. In addition, other electronic learning products either require the user to already know how to read and write or use multimedia tools to bypass limited literacy skills. ALL-Link addresses these problems, and offers a unique feature that guides teachers, parents or literacy aides in providing effective literacy instruction. As a result, ALL-Link has generated impressive results in pilot testing and received positive feedback from teachers and students.

Benetech CEO Jim Fruchterman said, "We are delighted about this key early-stage grant from the Severns Family Foundation, which will be essential in developing the ALL-Link service and helping thousands of people with developmental disabilities and ESL and adult learners."

Dave Severns, one of the foundation's trustees, added, "This grant is our first exploration of Benetech&'s social enterprise approach to important problems. We can&'t wait to see what they can accomplish with ALL-Link in the online literacy learning field."

About Benetech

The Benetech Initiative is a Silicon Valley nonprofit that develops sustainable, technology-based solutions to address pressing social challenges in areas such as disability, human rights, education and literacy. Many beneficial technologies have compelling social applications that are not developed because such efforts do not meet for-profit investors’ financial expectations. Benetech specifically pursues endeavors with a strong social, rather than financial, rate of return on investment, bringing commercial technology and private sector management techniques to bear in creating innovative, non-traditional solutions to challenging social issues. More information on Benetech and its projects can be found at www.benetech.org or by calling (650) 475-5440.

About the Severns Family Foundation

The Severns Family Foundation supports Northern California community needs in the areas of arts/culture, education, health care, social services and environmental management.

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