from staff
As our community continues to face a tight economy and shrinking budgets, the Daily Record has established this page that will each week chronicle the efforts of local nonprofit organizations. Bailey Publishing & Communications invites all members of the local nonprofit community to submit news, announcements, success stories and any other information they feel would be of interest to our readers. E-mail to: [email protected].
We also encourage our readers to become more aware of the needs of these worthy organizations as they try to continue to provide valuable services with reduced resources.
Teaching adults to to read one at a time
Learn to Read Jacksonville (LTR) is a nonprofit dedicated to improving adult literacy and increasing literacy awareness in Duval County through a volunteer-based reading program. For 40 years, LTR has provided free basic literacy education, including small group classes and one-on-one tutoring, to adults in Duval County who read at or below a fifth grade level.
According to the 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL), approximately 21 percent of adults in Duval County read at the most basic level. Learn to Read is helping those adults increase their reading and language levels, while also increasing their self-sufficiency skills.
In 2008, LTR served 480 students. In addition, LTR adult learners have increased their self-sufficiency skills in many areas: 414 educational goals, 165 personal goals, 86 economic goals and 70 family goals which include increasing their literacy levels, filling out applications, entering employment and reading to their children.
One way LTR is helping adult learners increase their self sufficiency skills is through a collaborative effort with Florida Coastal School of Law (FCSL). Coastal Law students who are participating in the Federal Work Study Program and/or wanting to complete their pro bono hours requirement are teaching small group classes and interviewing and assessing adult learners.
For more than a year, Coastal Law student Adria Kohn has helped with many aspects of the Learn to Read program. Kohn has shown great dedication to LTR’s mission, from helping adult learners in the computer lab to data entry work. In 2008 alone, Kohn logged more than 500 hours at Learn to Read.
Coastal Law student Jena Cauley teaches a job readiness and budgeting class, one morning session and one evening session. For many adult learners in the class, this is the first time they have ever had a resume or created a family budget.
Starting a civics class, Coastal Law student Jessie Seaman is dedicated to helping English as a second language (ESL) and adult basic education students learn about American history and laws.
Adult learners at LTR are also taking more of a leadership role in the program that serves them. A student council was formed to help increase student participation and help students become more involved in their program. Learn to Read strives to be a student-centered learning program. One of the first tasks they are tackling is raising funds for basic school supplies such as paper, pencils and folders for classes and one-on-one tutoring.
For 16 years, LTR’s biggest fundraiser, Kiss the Pig, has had over 150 prominent community and business leaders who have volunteered to campaign to solicit votes in order to kiss a pig for the cause of adult literacy in North Florida. Candidates commit to raise funds through business and personal contacts where $1 equals 1 vote.
The volunteer who solicits the most votes wins the right to kiss a real, live pig in front of thousands of baseball fans at the May 3 Jacksonville Suns game. Funds raised at this event are vital to the operation of Learn to Read. The 2009 candidates are Juan M. Diaz, Bae Systems, Product Group counsel; Roger Dodd, Spohrer & Dodd, partner; Charles Moreland, Jacksonville Fire and Rescue, Rescue Department division chief; Tony Rosimini, Rosimini Financial Group, principal; David Stevens, Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, Community Affairs and Special Events; and Dr. Steven Wallace, Florida Community College at Jacksonville, president.
For more information about Learn to Read or to vote for your favorite Kiss the Pig candidate, call 399-8894 or visit www.LTRJAX.org.
– Submitted by Larissa Brooks, Learn to Read program coordinator
5,000 at this year’s Walk to Cure Diabetes
More than 5,000 people participated in the March 7 Walk to Cure Diabetes at Metropolitan Park to benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). The record turnout also pushed the event past the $300,000 mark for funds raised to support diabetes research.
This month, JDRF has partnered with the Gate Foundation to sell paper sneakers for $1 each in Gate Food Post stores. All proceeds will benefit JDRF and help fund diabetes research.
Bluegrass concert to benefit Children’s Chorus
Four-time Grammy Award-winner David Holt will join the Jacksonville Children’s Chorus for “A Night of Bluegrass Music” sponsored by Regions Bank Saturday at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts. Holt plays 10 acoustic instruments and is a storyteller, historian and television host. He has also performed and recorded with many of his mentors including Doc Watson, Grandpa Jones, Bill Monroe and Chet Atkins.
The show will begin at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20 for adults, $14 for students and all proceeds with benefit the Jacksonville Children’s Chorus ensemble music education programs. Call 346-1636 or visit www.jaxchildrenschorus.com to purchase tickets.
Orchestras helping feed America
The Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra has joined a nationwide effort sponsored by the League of American Orchestras to collect food March 26-28 at JSO Masterworks performances of Mahler’s Fifth Symphony. The orchestra is partnering with Downtown Services Council to collect canned goods ad other nonperishable food at the concerts. Items most needed include canned meats, vegetables, stew and soup, pasta, rice, peanut butter and fruit juice.