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Introducing Elyse Hurley, our new Youth Literacy Program Director!
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Elyse brings years of experience in education, writing, and community engagement to Literacy Together. With a background in English literature and composition and Spanish, she has taught language, writing, and study skills to youth and adults in Guatemala, Argentina, and the U.S. These roles deepened her understanding of how foundational literacy skills empower individuals to grow, gain confidence, and thrive academically and personally. Her experiences in multicultural environments have also shaped her commitment to fostering inclusive learning spaces that celebrate diversity.
Elyse looks forward to collaborating with volunteers and community partners to inspire a love of learning in Buncombe County’s youth. Having grown up intensely appreciating the transformative power of books and storytelling, she is passionate about making literacy accessible to all. She enjoys reading, arts and crafts, exploring new places, and training her energetic dog in her downtime.
Welcome to our team, Elyse! We're so happy to have you!
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Literacy Changes Lives: Become a 2025 Corporate Sponsor Today!
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Want to be a part of something that truly matters? The time is now! In Buncombe County:
✔️ 1 in 10 adults cannot read at a basic level
✔️ 9.6% of residents do not speak English at home
✔️ 10% of adults lack a high school diploma
✔️ 24% of children live in poverty
(Sources: National Assessment of Adult Literacy & U.S. Census Bureau)
Join our literacy movement as a 2025 Corporate Sponsor and help transform lives and communities through the power of literacy. Your partnership as a corporate sponsor supports programs that empower individuals, strengthen families, and build thriving communities.
We appreciate our growing list of partners who share our vision of a brighter future for our students, and their contributions are essential to helping our communities rebuild and soar to new heights through the transformative power of literacy in Western North Carolina.
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For more information about becoming a 2025 Corporate Sponsor, CLICK HERE or contact us at development@lit-together.org. Let's change lives together!
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Pisgah Investments Foundation Funds 13 New ESOL Classes around Buncombe County
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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!
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This is our Goodwill group class holiday party! Virginia and Rebecca teach this class and love the friendships they're building.
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"The class is great for learning English. It's very dynamic, and you interact with your classmates and teachers. It's very beneficial to me. The teachers are very nice people." ~ Nancy 😍
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| Our last ESOL meet-up had a special guest ;)
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"Five ESOL tutors met me for coffee and conversation at Grind AVL on Friday, and we were joined (and highly entertained) by the manager's son, who was 'working' with him that day! As we chatted about students and curriculum, he fist-bumped us all and clicked coffee cups with us, saying Cheers!" ~ Erin, ESOL Program Director 😍
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Thank you, Carolina Handling, for your generous donation!
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This past holiday season, Carolina Handling’s proceeds from Santa’s One-Stop Integration Shop, a Carolina Handling pop-up book, benefited Literacy Together! Thanks to your support, we can continue to provide free literacy programs to over 500 young and adult learners in Buncombe County.
🙏🏼😊 📕
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Important updates on Dolly Parton's Imagination Library
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After 7 years of open registration, Literacy Together is at capacity and is unable to accept NEW registrations for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library (DPIL) in Buncombe County as of February 1, 2025. We currently provide books to as many children as our state funding allows (over 5,500). You’ll be the first to know when NEW enrollment reopens! In the meantime, children already registered for DPIL will continue to receive books.
Also, DPIL families: We love hearing which books your children enjoy most! Let us know which is your favorite book from the Imagination Library, and share what makes DPIL special to you! Email Imaginationlibrary@lit-together.org to share your photos and stories! Thank you!
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| We received this heartfelt thank-you letter and photo!
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"I just wanted to take a moment to thank Ms. Parton for starting and funding this program. I have two children who receive the monthly books.
We have had such a great time reading the stories and spending time together. My son turned five this summer, but we still read the books together, and it's very much part of our routine.
My daughter, who is three, thoroughly enjoys receiving the books "just for her." She always wants to hear the stories first thing when they arrive in the mail.
I just wanted to thank Ms. Parton for her generosity and the Imagination Library for their hard work. There's good in this world, but it never gets the visibility it should. Ms. Parton is a treasure, and her caring and genuineness are readily apparent through her actions. The staff at the Imagination Library are well-deserving of accolades as well for their work in carrying out this fantastic program." ~ Chad, DPIL dad 😊🙏🏼
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We host two orientation meetings a month! We've modified the format to be more inclusive. Everyone is welcome to join us, from prospective volunteer tutors to community members to local business owners and nonprofits wanting to learn more about Literacy Together's work. This is what one participant said after an orientation meeting this month:
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"I was astonished by some of the statistics for literacy rates, especially about only 22.3 % of Black students being able to read at grade level."
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| Upcoming Online Orientation Meetings
Tuesday, February 11th, 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Thursday, February 13th, 10:00 am - 11:00 am
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| Your generosity provides literacy services to our neighbors of every age.
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