For those of you reading this, I’m sure you take for granted how important your literacy is. I do the same.
Those of us who learned to read at a young age overlook how important the ability to read is in our every day lives. You may be surprised to know that it is not at all uncommon for American adults to be illiterate.
Thirty-five million U.S. adults read below a fourth-grade level, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. That’s equivalent to one in six adults 65 and younger. That statistic sure surprised me.
We overlook or are perhaps entirely unaware of the adults living in our community who struggle because of illiteracy or low literacy. Illiteracy and low literacy affects a person’s self-esteem, causing fear and ostracizing them in many social situations. It also considerably limits people’s ability to find a job to provide for themselves and their family, especially as automation eliminates many jobs with lower education requirements. Illiteracy is often passed down generationally as well, as poor-reading parents are less equipped to help teach their child how to read.
But there’s something you can do to help.
Two local nonprofits have made it their mission to help adults in the Valley gain literacy skills. The Southwest Valley Literacy Association and Literacy Volunteers of Maricopa County both offer free literacy services to adults.
The Southwest Valley Literacy Association, an affiliate of ProLiteracy America, is located at 328 W. Western Ave., Avondale. It recently received a grant from the Arizona Women’s Partnership. Literacy Volunteers of Maricopa County has two locations in Phoenix.
You can sign up to be a volunteer tutor with either group to help local adults turn their lives around. Both require at least a GED or high school education, among other requirements. If you don’t meet the requirements or don’t have the time to spare, you can also donate to either group.
For the Southwest Valley Literacy Association, visit facebook.com/swvalleyliteracy, email office@swvalleyliteracy.org or call 623-695-4321.
For the Literacy Volunteers of Maricopa County, visit literacyvolunteers-maricopa.org, email lvmc@lvmc.net or call 602-274-3430.
Glendale Independent News Editor Mark Carlisle can be reached at mcarlisle@newszap.com or found on Twitter @mwcarlisle.
Mark Carlisle
