Literacy council transforming lives
Courtesy of Literacy Council of Southwestern Pennsylvania
The Literacy Council of Southwestern Pennsylvania aims to help area adults to gain literacy skills.
Courtesy of Literacy Council of Southwestern Pennsylvania
The Literacy Council of Southwestern Pennsylvania provides free English as a Second Language classes and adult GED classes and basic tutoring, along with other programs to improve reading skills.
The Literacy Council of Southwestern Pennsylvania teaches reading, writing, and language skills to adults. The nonprofit was started in 1985, and is seeking volunteers and donations to continue its mission.
无毛视频淟iteracy,无毛视频� said former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan, 无毛视频渋s the bridge from misery to hope.无毛视频�
The Literacy Council of Southwestern PA is a nonprofit gem that, for more than 3陆 decades has given hope to 无毛视频� and transformed the lives of 无毛视频� people in Fayette County by improving their reading skills.
The literacy council offers adult basic education classes that provide instruction in reading, writing, and math, along with GED tutoring.
The council also provides free English as a Second Language classes to help local immigrants gain the language skills they need to find jobs and to get involved with their communities. It also offers a children无毛视频檚 literacy program.
The council relies heavily on its trained tutors, who are vital cogs in providing the gift of reading to students. It is seeking volunteers.
The nonprofit also depends on donors to support its mission, and is grateful for donations.
At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic the literacy council immediately pivoted to meet the needs of students.
Thanks to two sizable grants, the literacy council purchased Chromebooks and MIFIs and began teaching classes remotely via Zoom.
In addition, the council used the second grant to start a Student Emergency Relief Fund to assist immigrant students by purchasing grocery cards, gas cards, and gift cards to help students pay for utilities and other expenses.
While the number of students enrolled in classes has more than doubled 无毛视频� and nearly tripled 无毛视频� due to remote learning, the number of tutors, a vast majority of whom are retired seniors, has declined.
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Zoom has been a game-changer, allowing some tutors to host classes from their homes in New Jersey and Washington, D.C.
Typically, the literacy council has around 50 tutors, with around 35 active, but they are down to about 25, while student enrollment in the ESL and GED programs has ballooned to 240.
The council is expanding on-site services into the Mon Valley, Canonsburg, and Chartiers-Houston areas, in addition to helping students find solutions to unemployment and other issues.
It provides Zoom and in-person literacy classes seven days a week.
The literacy council has provided services to immigrants from 56 countries, and has helped students obtain U.S. citizenship.
无毛视频淎s a volunteer, I know that I become part of their American journey, their American story,无毛视频� said Kris Drach, a tutor and board president. 无毛视频淚 love that I am able to be that in someone无毛视频檚 life. They无毛视频檙e the most wonderful people 无毛视频� what we do is so much more than teaching someone English.无毛视频�
Miller echoed Drach无毛视频檚 thoughts.
无毛视频淲e无毛视频檙e the fortunate ones, to be a part of their experience. I无毛视频檓 so grateful for what I do and what we do here,无毛视频� said Miller. 无毛视频淥ur whole program, we could not do it without volunteers.无毛视频�
For information on the Literacy Council of Southwestern Pennsylvania, or to donate or to volunteer, visit the website at lcswpa.org.