Literacy Network

I wanted to write a review for the Literacy Network because I have been continually impressed by the work they do. The Literacy Network makes a difference for people who are often both new to English and to the United States. This need is as great as ever. Helping people achieve their dreams is so dependent on the fundamental ability to communicate. Basic literacy drives employability, economic opportunity, equity, health, and ultimately quality of life. Every time I hear a story about how the Literacy Network helped someone, I am further convinced about how we can all have an impact on each other, and that’s by direct, empathic engagement. It can be a hard thing to do, but it happens one person at a time. And if we all keep at it, we bring about change. But it also takes well run organizations to really move the needle. The fact that the Literacy Network is a well run non-profit, financially sound with good management, means that those who want to help and those who can benefit from that help are set up for success. All of this is why I am proud to be a donor and fortunate to be a board member as well.

I have been a personal tutor at Literacy Network for 5 years, tutoring both native English speakers who want to improve their literacy skills, as well as students learning English as a second language. It has continued to be a rewarding and meaningful experience , and I'm impressed by the perseverance of students from all backgrounds as they juggle the demands of family, jobs, school and learning challenges. While I do not have a teaching background, the support and guidance provided by staff has made all the difference. Volunteers are given individualized learning plans that respect the strengths, needs and differences of each student so that they can make meaningful progress towards their goals. These free English classes (as well as classes for GED/HSED and citizenship) have an enormous impact, not just on the student but on the learner's family and community. I have also become a Board member and can see the behind the scenes dedication of the staff and the way this organization truly lives up to its mission.

The Literacy Network of Dane County is an exceptional organization making a profound impact in the community. This one agency uses its resources to offer community support for ESL classes, citizenship preparation, and GED tutoring. In Dane County, 1 in 7 adults lack the literacy skills or English that they need to navigate daily life. Providing these services helps so many people in the county better navigate work, medical appointments, daily tasks, and appointments for their children.

The agency has the support from dedicated staff, who are always stretching to provide services to the growing number of students and from a large set of volunteers. Everyone who is involved with this agency sees the importance of the mission and the gratitude from the students. Management is very thoughtful in how it uses it's resources and how it expands services.

As a board member of Literacy Network, I am continually inspired by the transformative work this organization accomplishes. Literacy Network helps students build skills, reach goals and create connections. The dedication of our staff, volunteers and supporters is reflected in the incredible stories of success we see every day.

I have volunteered at Literacy Network as a member of the Development and Marketing Committee and on the Board of Directors for around 2 years. Literacy Network has established an extraordinarily vibrant and supportive community of committed staff, volunteers, and learners that enriches Dane County in so many ways. The organization provides exceptional community service by offering free language learning, GED and HSED, and citizenship classes to adult learners in Dane County and the expressions of care inherent in that work inspire so much hope. I feel so lucky to serve Literacy Network's mission!

It's an organization with a true sense of contribution to the community and a vocation for people. I was a Literacy Network student, and I can't describe how this helped me progress in my life in the community and in my career. I think their mission really makes an impact on the entire community and not only on those who are directly benefited, since the more skilled and complete we are (people), the greater our contribution to society and the economic growth of the region will be.

Literacy Network is a very good English school for adults. I was enrolled in this school for 2 years. I was felt welcomed from the first class. The school offered flexible evening classes, which allowed me to attend after work. My teacher understood all my challenges that I faced as an adult learning a new language. It helped me with the language but it also gave me new friends.

I came last year and literacy network was really helpful for me . Help me improve my English and believe in adult education so i am more confident i can realize my dreams no matter how old i am today

I came to the US on May 2023, I’ve a had a little to good English, and I wasn’t confident at all on using it. My wife showed me Literacy Network to improve my English, and I’m glad she did, it turned out that it wasn’t only a school to learn English at… it’s way more than that, it’s a place where you meet new people with similar experience of yours, and learn about more about other cultures and get confidence.

I have been learning English and my skills have improved so much.
My teacher is a very nice person and I am grateful for that because she has a lot of patience with me and my classmates.
I really appreciate that literacy network does for us.

I moved to USA in June 2023 and joined the Literacy Network classes in January 2024. That was the best decision I’ve made. Apart from opportunities to learn the language and improve communication skills I’ve found here a great community with people sharing the same experience as well as it became a place where I felt valuable and socially involved with volunteering opportunities.

I love literacy network, it’s a great organization, the teachers are amazing, the people is so kindly, they help many people to improve

My experience is amazing I learned a lot at this organization

I have volunteered with The Literacy Network for the past few years, tutoring ESL. I'm so impressed with how much work they put into meeting each learner where they are at! The Literacy Network is well organized and effective in their mission, and it's been a great experience volunteering with them!

The Literacy Network is one of the hidden gems of Madison. Not only is the mission of the program filling a need that is unmet through other organizations, but the people who run the programs are endlessly kind, patient, and passionate about their service. I have volunteered with this program for six years, and have watched lives change through the power or education. It has changed my life as well.

Literacy Network does great work in the Madison area community and is an amazing organization that I am happy to support! It is an organization that positively affects the lives of so many by helping build literacy skills.

As a former tutor and intern and current Board Member, I am awed by the amazing work that Literacy Network does in the Madison, WI area community. This is why I continue to support this great organization and will continue to do so. Literacy Network truly helps positively change the lives of their students and their families, which in turn, only improves the community that we live in.

I found that the Literacy Network is very organized. They started with and interview of us as teachers then we had a mini symposium to get a feel for the type teaching they do. After we are very well supported by the staff . They let you know the student's level and furnish you with all the material you need for each lesson. The classroom space has a nice professional feel about it too, which inspires us and the students with confidence in the institution.

Tutoring with Literacy Network has enriched my life in so many ways. I've learned about another person and their country, as well as things I never considered about my native language trough teaching it. I have benefited at least as much as my student has and Literacy Network has made this possible for both of us.

We have made it a priority to financially support Literacy Network because we believe in the work they do to bring free education classes and opportunities to adults in the county we live in. We first started donating seven years ago because we felt a connection to "literacy" causes. Since then we have learned that the programs they offer go way beyond literacy to other areas like helping refugees, helping people become citizens, helping people get high school diplomas later in life, and so much more! We have learned that the volunteers and teachers really help improve English and other communication skills. Also, we hear the students tell their personal experiences at events and in newsletters. We have really appreciated the HUGE impact of having Literacy Network available to so many adults. We are proud to continue to give to this great organization doing amazing work!

I had the privilege of joining the Literacy Network's board of directors this summer and their impact, organization, and outreach have far exceeded my expectations. I have worked at a variety of nonprofits for almost a decade and the Literacy Network's purposeful programming and attentiveness to their students is truly remarkable. They are a crucial resource for the greater Madison community and help individuals across all walks of life on a daily basis.

I started volunteering with Literacy Network in 2014 and was immediately impressed with the organization. The quality of services offered to its students far exceeded my expectations. I was welcomed with great volunteer training, timely communication, and sincere recognition. Offering free classes to all of its students is an exceptional resource in our community.

I have had a great experience working as a teacher's assistant and as a tutor for ESL adult learners at the Literacy Network! Before starting at the Literacy Network this past year, I had no experience with ESL. The training, the lesson plans and the encouragement at the Literacy Network have really helped me gain skills to feel confident in my volunteer role. The atmosphere is very positive and friendly. In terms of the volunteer work itself, I love it! The students are so motivated and I have been inspired by their hard work. I love seeing the progress they make! I value the connections with the Literacy Network staff and with the students. The work is rewarding and fun! I love being part of such a wonderful organization, working to make our community a better place.

I am a longtime volunteer at various nonprofit organizations and I can say without a doubt that my volunteer experience with The Literacy Network is the best and most gratifying I have had. There are two reasons for this. First, helping eager immigrants learn to speak English so they can become fully functional and successful members of their new home has been profoundly rewarding. My student is so grateful I can’t help but feel good! The second reason is the organization itself and the staff in particular. It is one of the best run programs I have been involved with. Much of this has to do with the dedication and excellence of the staff. My staff support person is fully engaged with me and is always available as a resource to answer questions and offer guidance. All in all, volunteering at The Literacy Network is a hugely rewarding experience and one I would enthusiastically recommend to just about anyone who enjoys helping people.

I have been a volunteer and donor with Literacy Network for more than a decade, and have nothing but good things to say about his wonderful non-profit. The staff and volunteers are a motivated, enthusiastic and dedicated team that have helped thousands of adult learners over the years with basic literacy skills, financial and health literacy and so much more. Our students become more engaged in the community, earn more money as their skills improve, and their families benefit as well. There's nothing more rewarding than seeing these students flourish in their speaking and writing or citizenship classes. I would encourage anyone to financially support this organization, or become a volunteer or tutor!

I’m a former Board member for literacy Network. This organization does a wonderful job of helping people be their best selves. Not being able to communicate is such a huge barrier to everything from reading street signs, to performing a job, reading to your children, understanding a doctors prescription… Literacy Network not only breaks down the communication barrier; it also gives its adult learners options, self reliance, confidence, a way to build community in a new environment, and so much more. It allows people to be community contributors that allows all of us to benefit from the many talents they bring to our community. Without that communication skill, we in the community would miss out on the gift these adult learners bring. Literacy Network’s staff and volunteers are top notch. They have expertise; they have compassion. Thanks so much to the work of Literacy Network. It helps change lives!
Jane Nemke

I have been a tutor in the ESL program for about four years. I have found this volunteer experience to be so rewarding for me personally and so gratifying to see the positive results for the learners. Most people may not realize it or think about it, but English is not an easy language to learn. After spending one semester with a new learner, it is so fulfilling to see how they have progressed in their fluency and in their confidence with English. The lesson plans do so much to not only teach English but to help the learners apply their English proficiency to their daily lives and to engage so much with the Madison community.
My wife and I are regular donors to the Literacy Network. We so enjoy attending the special celebrations put on by the Literacy Network (and sponsors) that highlight recent successes of the students in the various programs.

We have long been donors to this fantastic non-profit. Its mission is profoundly important, especially at this point in our community and country's history. Helping immigrants and refugees learn English enables them to more fully participate in our community, advance in employment, communicate with their co-workers, children's teachers, health care providers and others. Their work is incredibly learner-centered and they are uber lean and efficient - supporting hundreds and hundreds of volunteer tutors as well as the learners. Their efforts to showcase the success stories of their learners, who go on to feel confident, grow in their employment options, become citizens and serve as role models to their children is absolutely inspiring. They are highly accountable to their learners and their donors and work in partnership with so many other organizations. Incredibly well-managed and led with an extremely collaborative and happy staff. Bravo!

It all starts with the people! As a volunteer tutor for the last 3 years, I've always had the support I've needed to make sure the student(s) I was tutoring was well taken care of and given the best opportunity to succeed. As a GED/HSED tutor during that time, we always provide feedback after every weekly session. This level of communication keeps everyone on track and we always get the help we need, when it's needed/relevant.

Another great part about Literacy Network is that they are adaptable and mold to any situation, especially since they are working with primarily adult students. Every student's story and journey is different and they embrace them all!

All of my students that I've tutored have expressed an appreciation to me (unprompted) and is the best feeling. That heartwarming feedback wouldn't be possible without a team effort and the great folks at the Literacy Network!

The Literacy Network does more than teach adults in our community how to read – it provides HOPE.

I’ve seen firsthand how Literacy Network impacts the lives of its students and their families. For example, an adult learner can now talk to their child’s schoolteacher, read critical health information during a pandemic, and understand the food on the shelves at the grocery store…things all of us take for granted every day.

Literacy Network develops an individualized teaching plan for each learner that comes through its door and provides the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed. The people who receive instruction through Literacy Network have the trajectory of their lives changed forever.

We are a stronger, better community because of Literacy Network.

Literacy Network helps me to achieve my dream of education. With their welcoming environment, the best teachers and tutors, and individualized learning programs. I was able to communicate in English, read and write and apply to the UW to continue my goals of education. It also gives me the confidence to become an entrepreneur and establish my business. Thanks to the foundations of education that the Literacy Network gave me, today I am a bilingual writer, storyteller, business owner, filmmaker, and I have a brighter future.

It’s truly a pleasure to work with highly motivated students and caring tutors as a group leader for one of the Essential Literacy classes. I see firsthand how students become more confident and willing to step beyond their comfort zones as they build their reading, writing, math, and computer skills. I applaud Literacy Network for creating such a nurturing and encouraging environment that helps people succeed in creating a better life for themselves and their families. Bravo!

I have worked with Literacy Network as a financial advisor for the last 4 years. I have been impressed with the highly effective management of the organization. In my career, I have worked with many organizations and companies, and Literacy Network ranks at the top in its financial diligence and adherence to high standards. I have been impressed with the broad and extensive community support of Literacy Network's programs. I was also impressed with the organization's ability to continue its programs during COVID when they quickly and effectively converted from on-site learning to remote learning. This was done not only in compliance with local rules but it was also clear that the organization truly cared about the health and safety of staff, volunteers, and clients.

I have been a personal tutor to students learning English as a second language for 12 years with the Literacy Network. The positive support I receive weekly from their staff keeps me engaged and energized. The relationships I’ve made with students are so rewarding! Seeing how hard the students work, and their positive attitudes is so beautiful! Learning as an adult can be a challenge, but these students prioritize their learning and really appreciate all the assistance the Literacy Network gives. Literacy Network doesn’t stop at supplying language education. They do their best to meet many of the socioeconomic needs of this wonderfully diverse group of students through referrals and education.

Volunteering with Literacy Network has been a rewarding and positive learning experience thus far. I feel that the leaders of Literacy Network recognize individual volunteers' strengths and help those volunteers leverage those strengths to positively impact adult learners in our community. Literacy Network regularly shares how volunteer and funding efforts are impacting students, many times directly from students and instructors. It has been a pleasure to work with Literacy Network and contribute to the ripple effect of its positive impact.

I support Literacy Network because their programs help adult learners develop their skills in ways that benefit learner's families and their communities for generations. Whether they are learning English as a second language, studying for their citizenship, or obtaining their GED, Literacy Network students display perseverance, openness, and resilience that brings so much good into this world.

As a board member I have had the privilege to see the staff and volunteers at work, and have been awed at how resourceful and diligent they are in finding creative ways to support adult learners when they may need assistance. In normal circumstances this is helping learners to continue their lessons while juggling the demands of jobs, family, and overcoming learning challenges. But during the pandemic this quickly broadened to include health education, access to resources for food and housing security, and equipment and education so that students could continue lessons virtually. This team is laser-focused on the needs of learners and it shows in what the learners are able to achieve.

I have been a tutor with Literacy Network since fall 2019. I got involved because I wanted to help people enhance their skills to obtain better jobs and better support their families. It has been a great experience getting to know the students, Literacy Network employees, and also other volunteers and donors. Everyone has a unique story as to why they are involved with this organization and their passion is truly contagious.

The Literacy Network is full of incredibly passionate, dedicated volunteers who devote their time and efforts into ensuring that others have an equal opportunity to succeed. They truly invest in each individual learner's success by getting to know them on a personal level and walking in their journey toward literacy together. I admire the patience that each teacher demonstrates in their classroom, and enthusiasm that each staff member displays everyday. This organization genuinely changes lives.

As a personal tutor for almost 9 years I have witnessed first-hand the impact the Literacy Network has had on not just my student but his entire family. As a father of four, ranging in ages from college to preschool, I have seen how much improving the literacy of my student has improved the lives of his children. Through improved English reading, writing and speaking skills he is better able to communicate with his kids teachers, coaches and principals, with their doctors and dentists, with his clergy, with his bankers, with store clerks, and with his bosses and co-workers. This makes him a more effective parent and provider, and everyone benefits. The learning resources provided by Literacy Network make it all possible. I know how grateful he is - because he's told me so. Many times!

Jerry Marra, Middleton, WI

The Literacy Network gave me an opportunity to tutor with an online class at Madison College, and offered guidelines and training to help me best serve the students in the class. At every moment, someone from the Network was available and eager to hear how tutoring went and what they could do to support us students/tutors. I am very grateful for the love and trust they showed in bringing me to an experience where I helped and also made many mistakes, an experience I will remember and use in order to be a better and faithful comrade to my fellow people.

I am a donor and helped raise money for their new building. They do phenomenal work. They are so connected to their learners that they barely skipped a beat in the pandemic shut down. They advance the well being of the entire family by helping the parents get citizenship, better jobs, be able to work with their kids on homework and read to them. And now, because they are so trusted a very large percentage of their learners are vaccinated. It is one of the best organizations we support

The Literacy Network's impact on our community of adult learners so impressive and important. During board meetings we are introduced to different adult learners and learn first hand their experience with the Literacy Network. It is amazing to hear their stories of resilience and joy as they learn the language which will empower them to reach their goals.

The staff at the Literacy Network are incredible! Their commitment and dedication extends farther than just helping their students to improve their skills, they truly want to help improve their lives. Meeting and interacting with both the students and staff at Literacy Network is inspiring and I am so grateful to have the opportunity to support such important work!

The Literacy Network is amazing! The work being done is truly changing the lives of adult learners and their families across Dane County. Students can take free classes and tutoring to better their English, work towards a GED, or achieve citizenship. The staff is passionate, dedicated, and tireless!

The Literacy Network is a truly incredible organization. The staff are extraordinarily committed to supporting underrepresented groups. The success stories of the students that benefit from the Literacy Network are heartwarming.

Hello Literacy Network, I am a great grandmother of a eleventh grader and a kindergarten student. Although I live in Mississippi it's so hard for me, watching these kids not learning because, some parents are working and other young moms are just lazy. Please put the back in school especially the younger ones so they can start having a foundation. It's so sad so many will be loss when you come together with a plan. You guys have all of this technology at your disposal and this system of things need repairs bad. Sincerely Shirley J Boyd

Literacy Network is a very necessary organization for many adults of different ages who want to improve their level of knowledge of English in order to get an education, job and be able to better communicate with people, to participate in many areas of American society.
The Citizenship class helps a lot to prepare for passing the Citizenship exam.
When the pandemic of coronavirus began classes began to be conducted in the Zoom meetings. And this is greate, its works. We can see our teacher Mona Soltani every week. We can ask questions, get answers and get new knowledge about the history of America from the time of its creation to the present . We can participate in conversations with classmates on various interesting topics.
This class is very helpful. I am very grateful to our wonderful, kind, educated, friendly and caring teacher Mona Soltani.
Thanks Literacy Network

I have a business relationship with Literacy Network and my experience has been very positive. Management and the board care about having systems in place to prevent or detect misstatements and/or misappropriation. They desire transparency and accuracy with the highest regard. They light up when talking about their programs and their work. Their passion shows through and through.

I began tutoring in the spring of 2018 as an ESL tutor. By that fall, I added tutoring GED students, and in January of the next year I decided to also become a citizenship tutor. Why? Because I thoroughly enjoyed it! But also because the more I learned about the Literacy Network, the more I wanted to find ways to contribute to the important work they did in my community. They open their doors to many, yet treat each person who walks through them as an individual...an individual who has their own unique goals and ways of learning. It is a welcoming place that partners adults who are eager to learn with volunteers who are excited to teach. I feel that they appreciate and value the potential in every student and they go above and beyond to help them reach their goals. As a volunteer, it is a joy to be around a staff that is focused on helping each person in supportive and meaningful ways and to interact with ambitious, hard-working students who show up every week, motivated to learn.

I am very grateful for the support of the Literacy Network. They are very committed to literacy and organizing makes a huge difference in our lives. The classes are very inclusive, the teachers always answer our questions, they are very kind and understanding. In fact, teaching aids such as books and materials are of great help for our development.
However, the success of this organization depends on you as a student, because you have to push yourself in every class, and every day you have to do your best.
Thanks, Literacy Network.

I have been a volunteer and advocate for 4+ years. I was attracted to this organization because they do so much to empower people in every aspect of their lives. Literacy is a lifelong gift that raises individuals and communities.

My direct experience is with their citizenship tutoring program. By helping immigrants and refugees get access to the tools and resources they need to pursue naturalization the Literacy Network is directly helping individuals participate in their community.

I'm a tutor with Literacy Network. It's been wonderful to see the profound impact Literacy Network has on adult learners and their families, through helping them with their education, English, communication, community resources, and much more. I've also been inspired by how hard the employees work to address peoples' needs and the scope of the organization.

The Literacy network has two significant strengths. It provides a service that is vitally important, and it does it very well. A moment's thought will tell you that becoming literate will remove barriers and create opportunities in every aspect of a persons life. The network is able to help its learners succeed because it's well run and well staffed, and because it is constantly evolving and improving its programs by listening to the learners and giving them a voice in the way the programs are shaped.

Literacy Network is not just about reading and writing - it's about quality of life and our community! Literacy directly affects one's health, finances, ability to get and maintain employment, and interpersonal relationships. Without a basic grasp of the English language, one's outcomes in these areas are diminished. Literacy Network does not just teach basic skills, but provides a toolbox for its learners to use for a lifetime. And when you consider that 1 in 7 adults in Dane County do not have these basic skills, it puts into perspective how literacy affects the entire community.

Literacy Network, through its variety of programming and one-on-one tutoring provides free literacy classes to adult learners, so they can achieve - and exceed - basic outcomes. With the COVID-19 pandemic, Literacy Network has also proven itself to be incredibly flexible, working as a resource hub and referral source for those learners affected, while also pivoting to a virtual learning platform to continue the mission of literacy education. A necessary organization before, they have made themselves indispensable now.

I have been on the board for Literacy Network since 2015 and have watched them grow - blossom, really - into a safe, dependable organization with the capacity to serve larger numbers of students each year. Thank you for everything you do for our community!

I have donated for years to Literacy Network because of the impactful work it does in our community and the many interactions I've had with Literacy Network staff. I recently became a Board member, and am even more impressed with their excellent organization and communication. As a board member, I appreciate their transparency and the staff's work on behalf of students. They've gone above and beyond in so many ways to support learners during COVID-19 in creative and impactful ways. As a donor, I know my donations are being used effectively and efficiently, and that staff are thoroughly engaged in their work of helping adults in Dane County increase their literacy skills and improve their lives and the lives of their entire families.

The Literacy Network has so many great programs for adult learners: literacy (reading & writing) class; finishing your high school degree; learning English; computer skills, passing the Citizenship exam. All these help adults get better jobs and participate in our democracy more.

Literacy Network is a great organization. Literacy Network offers free or low-cost literacy services to adult learners. It is difficult to overstate the organization's impact on the learners, their families, and the greater community. I have volunteered as a citizenship exam tutor and seen how their work changes lives. I have also been a board member the past several years and know the staff is passionate about the mission and efficient in the methods they use to deliver on that mission.

Imagine navigating the pandemic with low literacy skills. Imagine having a child in remote learning without English proficiency to talk to your child's teacher. Literacy Network empowers adults in these and similar situations to succeed in all aspects of their lives. The organization also provides outstanding volunteer opportunities to the community through many tutoring programs. Connecting the adult learners with tutors leads to positive outcomes beyond just the students' success stories. It builds strong community and reminds us to look out for one another - something that is now more important than ever.

I have been volunteering with the Literacy Network for 6+ years. The staff and other volunteers have been amazing! Everyone is very dedicated to helping our ESL community improve their lives through English language classes, citizenship classes, GED classes and many others. The dedication of the teachers is wonderful to see. Our students are always treated with encouragement, understanding and friendliness. Our citizenship class has had a wonderful success rate and watching the students achieve their dreams of becoming a citizen is heart-warming.

A positive light for so many, the Literacy Network is necessary to the growth of literacy in Madison/Wisconsin. While volunteering for a summer, I was able to meet some of the most genuine employees who did whatever they could to benefit those in need. In all of my volunteer and professional experiences, working with the Literacy Network was by far the most rewarding time I have had at an organization.
The difference the Literacy Network makes on so many is truly remarkable and I hope they continue to receive the proper funding and volunteerism it takes to benefit those who are integrating into English language and culture.

Literacy network stands out, to me, for two reasons:
1. It provides such an essential service. It truly is impossible to get ahead in a county when you don't speak their language. You feel alienated. I've been there. It's not good. We are providing these people with TRULY life-changing information.
2. Every one at the literacy network is totally committed. You can just sense and see how their hearts are in the work, and how much everyone cares. I volunteer at a lot of different organizations, and there is almost always at least one person who appears to be there not of their own volition, to be holding back and stubborn, but not here.

Professional, reliable, overall a great organization.

I have been a volunteer with the Literacy Network since 2002. I enjoy being part of an organization that continues to grow every year. While keeping up with modern technology, the staff also makes a big effort to take a personal interest in every student and teacher, especially when advice is asked for. They approach any situation with empathy. They always have time to listen and give constructive insights. I am amazed by the growing number of ways they are reaching out into the community. The newsletters capture genuine purpose and enthusiasm. I have learned a lot as a tutor. i really enjoy being a part of the Literacy Network.

Literacy Network is the gold standard for a small non-profit taking on an enormous challenge effectively. The staff supports hundreds of volunteer tutors who work with learners from around the world. As an ESL tutor and tutor for citizenship, I can always count on staff to train me, help me find the right resources, and encourage me and my learners. For this reason, I have seen learners change their lives in significant ways, qualifying for better jobs, learning how to work with healthcare providers and schools, and gaining confidence as they communicate more effectively in English. The work of volunteers supplements the classes and special community projects that staff plan and implement. In addition to improving literacy in our county, Literacy Network very often brings tutors and learners into long-term supportive relationships. I believe that these relationships improve all of our lives, acting as a counter-weight to forces that otherwise keep our lives separate.

basically, they help people who don't speak/read/write english (or don't speak/read/write it as well as they would like) learn how to. this is good for everyone in the community, not just the learner. anyway, their resources are great, they provide lots of resources to learners who want to take advantage of them. seems like a well managed and run organization. respects the feedback of its volunteers.

This is such a great organization. I have worked with some amazing students who are so grateful for the opportunity to learn/improve their English. To see their progress and know you had a part in it is truly gratifying. What also makes this organization stand out is its desire to tailor the learning experience to the student's specific goals, rather than having a cookie-cutter approach.