We received this wonderful update from J.K., the tutor of an ESOL student whom we can’t name for security reasons: In the past, her husband had handled all interactions with Asheville City Schools. However, he could not attend this spring’s Parent-Teacher conferences due to work responsibilities. As a result, she (accompanied by me) took on the responsibility. Initially, she was very anxious about meeting with the girls’ teachers. Apparently, teachers in her home country are known to be quite strict, and she firmly believed she would struggle to communicate with or understand them. Given that she could not attend school in her own country, the prospect was truly daunting. However, she confidently stepped into the pre-K classroom. After being given a tour by her youngest daughter, she sat at the teacher’s desk and had a lovely, informative conversation about her child’s first experiences at school. She thoroughly enjoyed learning about her daughter’s progress and development. Encouraged by this experience, she has expressed interest in attending future school meetings. This was a significant step in embracing her parenting responsibilities in her new country and realizing that she can successfully communicate with and understand authority figures. Become an ESOL tutor and support a new neighbor!

April is National Volunteer Month, and while we deeply appreciate our volunteers every single day, this month gives us a special opportunity to spotlight the vital work they do within our communities. During the 2023-2024 fiscal year, 391tutors provided an incredible 34,938 hours of instruction to 549 students! 👏🏼 Our volunteers are so much more than tutors—they’re true superheroes of literacy, community building, and of making a difference in many ways. Here are just a few of the thoughtful names we use to describe them: 🌉 Bridge Builders: Breaking down barriers between cultures and languages, they stand beside students as they courageously connect to new opportunities and, for immigrants, build a sense of belonging in their new country. Take Anne as an example: When my schedule opened up 17 years ago, calling up Literacy Together was one of the first things I did. My initial motivation was to give back. My grandfather and great-grandparents came to Philadelphia from Poland, knowing no English, and people helped them. I wanted to return the favor. ~ Anne, ESOL tutor 🐛➡🦋 Transformation Agents: Reflecting their students’ determination, they are essential partners in each learner’s vision for a brighter future. They reveal the profound power of meaningful human connection through mutual growth. Martha’s experience says it all: I learned that once you are ‘adopted’ into an Afghan family, you are accepted, just as you are, and then taken care of. I learned the difference between education as a privilege (to Elaha) and education as a thing to do (for me). What a world of difference and quite different results! I learned how privileged my point of view is and the many things I take for granted. ~ Martha, ESOL tutor 💪🏼 Advocates: With every session, they ignite a sense of confidence and possibility, helping students develop the tools to unleash their potential and turn their goals into reality. Ray and Aimee expressed this beautifully:  Through hard work and perseverance, Iris has accomplished something she thought was impossible: read an entire book. This is only her first goal in building her reading skills. Congratulations, Iris! ~ Ray, Adult Literacy tutor I love seeing students go from thinking this (English) is a skillset they lack to learning that learning is a skillset they have. ~ Aimee, former ESOL tutor and Literacy Together board member To all our incredible volunteers: Thank you for your time, energy, and heart. Your dedication changes lives and builds a stronger, more connected community. You’re changing the world, one lesson at a time! 💗   Become a volunteer tutor!

 

 

 

As a healthcare worker, Marilyn witnessed firsthand how literacy directly impacts individuals’ health and well-being.

Fat, flu, pill, allergic, jaundice, anemia, fatigue, directed, colitis, constipation, osteoporosis. These are the words in a screening tool called the REALM-R that healthcare workers use to screen for literacy. The results of this short screening tool help us to determine the best way to educate our patients on their post-surgery instructions, medications, sliding scale for diabetes management, and home care instructions. The first three words technically aren’t part of the score and are only there to make the individual more comfortable.

As a healthcare worker, it was hard to see how many of my patients couldn’t read the words on this scale, even the first three words. These are people that aren’t able to read the label on their medication bottle, post-op instructions, and red flags, when and where their appointments are. These are people that are at a higher risk of hospitalization and they need our help.

This was what inspired me to join Literacy Together in their efforts to help the literacy crisis in our community. I’ve seen the life-changing (and potentially life-saving) work that they do. There are multiple ways that you can help with this work, including serving as a volunteer tutor, supporting Literacy Together financially, and spreading awareness in Buncombe County for the need to help address the literacy crisis. Together, we can help keep our neighbors healthier and safer.

Marilyn Lindsley Cortes

Doctor of Physical Therapy

What’s health literacy?

Become a volunteer tutor and support adults who want to improve their literacy skills

With funding from the Pisgah Investments Foundation, we launched thirteen new ESOL classes at five different locations around Buncombe County. The introduction of these community-based ESOL classes has been nothing short of extraordinary. Since we began, these classes have quickly gained momentum, becoming a central focus for community engagement and support. When we began volunteer recruitment over the summer, we weren’t sure what to hope for. However, the response was incredible, as enthusiastic tutors stepped forward to be part of this transformative program. Their passion and dedication have been essential in bringing this vision to life. During Tropical Storm Helene, we witnessed connections grow, highlighting the urgent need for quality literacy instruction as families navigated life after the disaster. As a result, we were able to expand our impact to thirteen community-based ESOL classes. These include two classes at the Goodwill Industries Workforce Development Center in West Asheville; two classes at Bounty and Soul in Swannanoa, a nonprofit that provides free fresh produce and wellness education; two classes at Erwin Middle School in Buncombe County’s most ethnically diverse district; two classes at the First Baptist Church of Weaverville, and five classes at Deerfield Episcopal Retirement Community in South Asheville, three of which are taught by Deerfield residents. THANK YOU, Pisgah Investments Foundation, for your support. It makes all the difference as we continue to transform lives through the power of literacy! And to our volunteers and students . . . we couldn’t do it without you! Below is our Goodwill group class holiday party! Virginia and Rebecca teach this class and love the friendships they’re building.

Look at this birthday celebration in our class at Goodwill! 🎉 The students surprised one of the teachers with flowers and a homemade strawberry flan! 😋

We love seeing connections bloom within our community! 💐

Become an ESOL tutor and help strengthen the local immigrant community!

In the wake of Hurricane Helene, WD Williams Elementary Media Specialist/ Librarian Kassandra Cumming took action to support families displaced by the disaster. With many of them asking for children’s books despite losing homes and belongings, she ​contacted us asking for help.

“We are trying to put books into the hands of our kiddos who are having a tough time right now,” she said. “They are asking for books, filling my heart with joy and my eyes with tears.” 

Her desire to give books to displaced families inspired us to organize a book drive.​ Almost simultaneously,  Heather Childress from Weaverville Primary School and Kyley Byrd​, a BeLoved Asheville volunteer, ​asked us for books for the school and the “buckets of love” distributed among the displaced families living in shelters.

​Since our office was closed, we partnered with The Whale WAVL so they could receive the books. We received hundreds of books that went to Beloved Asheville, Leaf Global Arts, Weaverville Primary School, and Jones Elementary.

Library IQ learned about the drive, contacted us, and offered to donate as many books to W.D. Williams Elementary as needed. ​ The school received 100 books per grade level!

This was an excellent opportunity to build and deepen relationships with local businesses and organizations: The Whale WAVL, Pages for a Fresh Start, The Venue Asheville, Library IQ, local author Constance Lombardo, and BeLoved Asheville. They all played a role in collecting, receiving, and distributing donations.

Also, the Youth Literacy Program interns and our non-tutoring volunteer, Becky, helped with the book distribution!

​We’re so grateful for this community effort and to everyone who donated books!

Our community has been devastated by Hurricane Helene, and our students are among those most affected. For those already struggling with low literacy and language barriers, the path to recovery seems even more daunting.  These are the challenges our students face every day. Do you want to help? You can become a volunteer tutor or donate. Thank you!