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We are so grateful to each and every one of our supporters who donated and spread the word about our $25,000 matching gift opportunity! With your support, we raised $31,935! This funding is critical as we face shifting and complex federal funding challenges.
We are happy to announce that it is increasingly likely that we will receive our usual $100,000 grant from the Virginia Department of Education; however, this will most likely be the last year this grant is offered (see updates on FY26 congressional budget) and there are new significant restrictions on who this grant can serve.
Unfortunately, progress is still stalled on our $50,000 Community Development Block grant. We are losing hope on this one. You can access a more detailed explanation of grant updates from our executive director, Ellen Osborne, by clicking the button below.
Recently, Erin O'Hare of Charlottesville Tomorrow stopped by the office to discuss how federal funding uncertainty impacts not only Literacy Volunteers but the other nonprofits in the area. You can read the entire article here.
While we face challenges, your support will help us continue to serve adults in the greater Charlottesville area; we remain committed to keeping our services free for all!
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Our fiscal year closed on June 30, and we're still compiling all of our data (thank you, Maureen!). Be on the lookout for the full impact report in early fall; however, we wanted to share a few meaningful numbers with our supporters. In FY 25:
- We served 401 students
- 281 tutors volunteered their time
- Volunteers donated more than 20,000 hours; this includes volunteering through tutoring, Wordplay, the front desk, and more!
- Our students earned more than 2,000 achievements!
Of course, numbers never show the full picture. Every tutoring session builds a relationship and language skills. As one tutor said in our annual survey, "I feel lifted after every session with my student. I feel I am making a difference in her being able to communicate confidently in her life in Charlottesville. And I value the opportunity to develop a relationship with someone I wouldn't have otherwise known— although we have more in common than not!"
Each student, each volunteer, each achievement has a story. Together, with all of those volunteer hours, they create a truly life-changing experience. We thank every one of our volunteers and supporters for their work.
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Celebrate Welcoming Week by stopping by Literacy Volunteers' Cookies and Connections.
Join volunteer tutors, students, staff, and board members for conversation and to learn more about how the work that we do empowers adults in our community with literacy, basic education, and U.S. citizenship tutoring.
This open house will be on Tuesday, September 16 from 4:30 to 6:30 pm in our main office. To help ensure that we have enough treats for everyone, please click the button below to RSVP. We hope to see you there!
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September brings the return of both citizenship and writing classes to Literacy Volunteers. All classes are currently open for registration and are free.
Intermediate English Citizenship Classes
Our fall citizenship classes are now open for registration! Our classes start September 15 and run for 10 weeks. They use intermediate English and have opportunities for both in-person and Zoom classes. Students are able to register for English for the Citizenship Interview Class, which covers vocabulary and comprehension for the interview questions, and the Civics Class, which is a comprehensive dive into U.S. history and the 100 civics questions.
While classes are free, we do ask that new students pay for class materials if they are able. This includes both the textbook and our English for the Interview handbook, which total $25 (with $5 shipping if needed). For more information, to view class times, or to register, click the button below.
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Basic English Citizenship Class
Writing Class
Our writing class returns this month! This class is designed for intermediate and advanced English learners who wish to further their formal education, advance in their job, prepare for the TOEFL exam, or just love to write. Led by Caren, a LVCA volunteer and former UCSB writing professor, the class allows students to write in a variety of genres while expanding their vocabulary and grammatical knowledge. You can learn more about this 10-week class here.
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| Change a life with literacy
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If you are interested in making a difference in an adult immigrant's life, consider signing up for new tutor training. Change a life today!
Upcoming Training:
Saturday, November 15
9:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Jefferson School City Center
Click here to register.
Visit literacyforall.org/tutors for more information. If you know of a business who might be willing to donate lunch for training, please reach out to Ellen.
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