Our Mission
Children with Dyslexia Scholarship Fund (“CDSF”) provides support and encouragement to students who struggle with dyslexia and encourage their future success. The foundation accomplishes this by:
- Providing scholarships and benefits to children with dyslexia
- Sponsoring financial aid to individuals to make educational opportunities more accessible to people with dyslexia and other learning disabilities
- Giving back to the community by donating to various educational institutions and community-based organizations that perform services for people with dyslexia and other learning disabilities
Our Vision
Children with Dyslexia Scholarship Fund’s vision is to create an ecosystem that supports students with dyslexia and other learning disabilities by:
- Decreasing the financial barriers that prevent students with dyslexia from attending a specialized school that empowers students with dyslexia to regain their confidence and find and develop their individual strengths
- Increasing information and financial resources available to students with dyslexia, their families and the educators they work with
- Creating and distributing learning disability best practices and resources among researchers and practitioners who work with and support children
with dyslexia
Our Program
The Children with Dyslexia Scholarship Fund provides students, beginning in middle school, with dyslexia and other learning disabilities the opportunity to attend a school that provides them with the support they need to achieve and sustain academic success. CDSF’s Goals:
- Provide Scholarships: Provide financial assistance to students attending schools which support dyslexic students
- Raise Awareness & Support: Increase dyslexia awareness by showcasing successful scholars and CDSF scholarship recipients. Work with organizations that help students, parents and teachers
to raise awareness about learning disabilities and support students with learning disabilities - Promote Collaborative Professional Networks: Create a forum by which researchers and practitioners can share resources and best practices
Board of Directors
Jonathan Litt
Founder, Chairman of the Board and President
Mr. Litt founded the Children with Dyslexia Scholarship Fund in 1997 as a way to give back to the community that encouraged him to explore his dreams and showed him he could achieve anything – even with dyslexia. Before Mr. Litt was diagnosed with dyslexia in the second grade, Mr. Litt recalls he was consistently nervous in school and was told no one “could educate him.” Instead of letting this negative criticism impact his motivation, he enrolled in the Kildonan School, one of the nation’s premier independent schools for students with dyslexia, where he was finally in an environment he could excel and overcome the barriers dyslexia. Without the Kildonan School, Mr. Litt may never have graduated from college, earned his MBA, successfully started a career in finance and eventually start and run his own fund, Land and Buildings. Mr. Litt founded this charity 20-years ago to give back to the community that believed in him.
Mr. Litt has over 30 years of experience as a global real estate strategist and an investor in both public real estate securities and direct property. Mr. Litt is the Founder and CIO of Land and Buildings, a registered investment manager specializing in publicly traded real estate and real estate-related securities. Mr. Litt founded Land and Buildings in the summer of 2008 to take advantage of the opportunities uncovered by the global property bubble. Previously, Mr. Litt was Managing Director and Senior Global Real Estate Analyst at Citigroup where he was responsible for Global Property Investment Strategy. Mr. Litt graduated from Columbia University in 1987 with a Bachelor’s in Economics and NYU’s Stern School of Business in 1990 with an MBA in Finance.
Glen Edelman
Secretary
Mr. Edelman is an attorney engaged in private practice for over 33 years with 25 years of experience in real estate and corporate transactional matters where his services include serving as counsel to cooperative housing corporations and representing foreign governments in their New York based real estate transactions. Mr Edelman’s desire to join the board of CDSF stems from his & his wife’s involvement with the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation. Jon’s mission to provide support to dyslexic students is a great cause that Mr. Edelman is proud to be a part of, and as a board member Mr. Edelman will provide guidance and recommendations to ensure CDSF continues to help students in their journey.
Glen Edelman
Secretary
Mr. Edelman is an attorney engaged in private practice for over 33 years with 25 years of experience in real estate and corporate transactional matters where his services include serving as counsel to cooperative housing corporations and representing foreign governments in their New York based real estate transactions. Mr Edelman’s desire to join the board of CDSF stems from his & his wife’s involvement with the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation. Jon’s mission to provide support to dyslexic students is a great cause that Mr. Edelman is proud to be a part of, and as a board member Mr. Edelman will provide guidance and recommendations to ensure CDSF continues to help students in their journey.
August Hunt
Treasurer
Mr. Hunt graduated from the Kildonan School, one of the nation’s premier independent schools for students with dyslexia, and was a recipient of the Children with Dyslexia Scholarship Fund. After attending the Kildonan School, he received his Bachelor’s of Art at Copper Union. Currently, Mr. Hunt works for a major NYC department store and develops sets for Broadway shows. As a board member, Mr. Hunt is responsible for financial oversight.
Some of Our Success Stories
Testimonials
The Children with Dyslexia Scholarship Fund was a great investment in my success and gave me the confidence I needed to succeed in school and life. I’m happy to hear this continues to be the case for current recipients and I encourage anyone reading this to get involved or continue their involvement.
Tim Hollinger – Scholarship Recipient 2016It’s been a pleasure working with the Children with Dyslexia Scholarship Fund. The fund not only provides financial assistance and resources to children and families that need it, but also provides a strong community for the scholarship fund participants. I’m excited for the momentum to continue and remain a thriving resource to those in need.
Karl Oppenheimer – Dean of Student Life, Kildonan SchoolThe Children with Dyslexia Scholarship Fund was there to support me and my dreams. By not having to worry about the financial burden of paying for school, I was able to focus on my passion, art. The fund provided me with a strong foundation to succeed in school, go to college and pursue a degree in art. Today, I am fulfilling my passion by creating art installations, working for Saks Fifth Avenue and building sets for Broadway shows.
August Hunt – Scholarship Recipient 2008