As we marked our 30th Anniversary of providing free English instruction for native and non-native students, we are pleased to report that, with the support of our volunteers, donors and partners, we were able to help over 600 adults improve their literacy skills – a 270% growth over the past 5 years!
Our dedicated and committed volunteer tutors provided one-on-one instruction and conversation classes throughout central Arkansas, and our ESL small group tutors delivered 35 classes at the beginning, intermediate, and advanced levels at various community partner sites in Little Rock, North Little Rock, and Conway.
Combined, our tutors and teachers provided over 11,000 instructional hours to our learners!
Other notable highlights we would like to share with you include:
- January 2016 was declared Adult Literacy Month for Arkansas! The proposal was written and initiated by Literacy Action for all literacy councils in Arkansas.
- Literacy Action was able to deliver the first ever Bridget Farris Outstanding Tutor Award to Kathy Rateliff at the 2016 Shine a Light on Literacy event. We are thrilled that this honor will be awarded every year!
- With the help of the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation, we started work on a new strategic plan for FY17-21 in order to serve more students in a more impactful way. Stay tuned for more information in upcoming newsletters.
- And last but not least, Literacy Action was chosen as the 2017 nonprofit partner for Party with a Heart!
With 1 in every 10 central Arkansas residents struggling with limited literacy skills, we remain committed to providing our students with the tools they need to build skills for life. Adults who are proficient in English can lift themselves out of poverty, help their children achieve academically, find and keep sustainable employment, and fully participate in our community. As we look to the future, we plan to build more capacity by expanding our programs, deepening our impact and strengthening our partnerships.
We are thankful for the hard work of our learners, the commitment of our tutors, the dedication of our volunteers and staff, and the generous support of our donors and partners. Please take a moment to read over our achievements and don’t forget to connect with us on social media!