The Outreach Committee has been giving grants to Literacy Achieves for 3 years. So anytime you give a donation to the Outreach Committee you are supporting them and their great work. Thank you for your support! Last month we purchased books for their children’s program.

Literacy Achieves was founded as Vickery Meadow Learning Center (VMLC) in 1997 by members of Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church to address the critical need for English as a Second Language (ESL) instruction for non-English speaking adults in the Vickery Meadow area of Dallas, an ethnically diverse, low-income neighborhood.

Today, Literacy Achieves serves approximately 1,100 adult students and 320 young children annually at campus locations in Vickery Meadow, West Dallas, and East Dallas. More than 300 compassionate and dedicated volunteers teach all adult classes, work in the computer lab, assist in the office and support the children’s program while providing respect, support, and encouragement to students. As demand for English literacy programs continues to soar, Literacy Achieves will strive to address this critical community need.

All programs are provided free of charge. Adult classes are taught by trained volunteers, while the children’s program is managed by dedicated staff, many of whom are former students. As of 2016, approximately 318,000 (24%) of Dallas’ 1.3 million residents were immigrants. Currently 45% of all students in Dallas ISD are classified as English Language Learners. Individuals who lack basic literacy are more likely to experience crime, unemployment, and poverty. According to the National Institute of Health, a mother’s reading skill is the greatest determinant of her children’s future academic success, outweighing other factors, such as neighborhood and family income. The Family English Literacy Program at Literacy Achieves addresses this community need by providing immigrant and refugee adult students with the opportunity to learn English at the same time as their young children.

Literacy Achieves operates on a school year basis, with designated enrollment periods at the beginning of each semester (fall, spring, and summer.) The Adult English Classes includes up to eight English proficiency levels. Citizenship preparation classes, as well as one-on-one tutoring for the naturalization interview are also offered. All classes have a core textbook and daily reading component and are taught by trained community volunteers.

Literacy Achieves could not exist without the support of more than 350 volunteers who teach all our adult classes, assist in the Early Childhood Education Program, and help with events and projects to improve our educational sites. In the Adult Program, volunteers work in teams of two, teaching a 2-hour class, one day each week during the fall and/or spring semesters.

Literacy Achieves has more than 350 volunteers who serve in the following ways:
• Volunteer ESL teacher: In teams of two, teach an ESL class one morning, afternoon or evening a week for 2 hours. Teach 1 day/week for 25 weeks between September and April, during the fall and/or spring semester and May-June during the summer session. Hours available: Monday-Thursday 9:00 – 11:00 a.m.; 12:30 – 2:30 p.m.; or 7:00 – 8:45 p.m. No prior teaching or foreign language experience is needed. All classes are taught entirely in English. User-friendly curriculum and training are provided.
• Additional opportunities for individual volunteers include:
o Assisting students with basic computer skills in the computer lab
o Tutoring students
o Assisting with student registration
o Assisting at events
• Literacy Achieves offers opportunities for group projects or a day of service:
o Cleaning in preparation for Semester start
o Assistance with student mailings
o Assembly of adult student books and materials
o Landscaping cleaning and maintenance of facilities
o Supply drive for Family Program
o Supply drive for children and family needs

To learn more about our volunteer opportunities, contact:
LaTress Peoples at volunteer@LiteracyAchieves.org or 214-255-5057, ext. 114