LITERACY VOLUNTEERS OF RENSSELAER COUNTY AWARDED $10K BY THE McCARTHY CHARITIES
Literacy Volunteers of Rensselaer County (LVORC) has been awarded $10,000 by The McCarthy Charities, Inc., a private foundation based in Troy, N.Y. The grant will help LVORC with operating expenses and enable LVORC’s professional staff in Troy to administer literacy programs and services that are offered at no cost to adult learners in Rensselaer County.
Literacy Volunteers of Rensselaer County brings 56 years of expertise to the process of teaching adults and providing professional development and support to volunteers. LVORC’s approach focuses on the needs and interests of adult learners, helping them to meet the goals they set for themselves. LVORC helps adults to acquire the language skills they need to get jobs, become involved in their children’s education and participate in community life.
Currently, LVORC provides tutoring and group instruction to more than 72 adult students in Rensselaer County each year. Program participants are either basic literacy learners who were born in the U.S. but have limited reading and writing skills, or newly arrived immigrants and refugees who are learning English as a new language. LVORC trains volunteers to work with adults in individual and group settings and provides ongoing assistance to tutors who do this valuable work. Instruction takes place both online and in person for approximately 2 hours per week per student.
"Funding assists in our efforts to recruit, train and provide resources to tutors. It also enables staff to provide intake, testing and case management to help students meet personal goals such as finding a job, studying for citizenship, and becoming active participants in their communities,” said Nancy Benz, Executive Director. “We are deeply grateful to the McCarthy Charities for their support.”
For more information, visit www.lvorc.org.