Immigrating to the United States is a challenge in itself, but not knowing English can make adjusting to everyday life even more difficult. To ease this tough transition, Literacy Volunteers of Charlottesville/Albemarle offers free one-on-one reading, writing, and English language tutoring to local adults in need of basic literacy skills.
The nonprofit—funded by government grants, fundraising events, local organizations, and individual donors—pairs each student with a trained volunteer, who works with them to create a curriculum tailored to individual wants and needs. In addition to meeting with their tutor two hours every week, students are provided with a range of online resources to hone their language skills on their own.
Those who have applied for naturalization are also invited to participate in weekly small group and one-on-one citizenship classes, which prepare them for the daunting U.S. citizenship test. However, LVCA does not only serve immigrants—over 9,000 adults in the Charlottesville area are functionally illiterate, or struggle to read and write at the level required for many jobs and everyday activities.
By drastically improving their English abilities, students have gone on to gain U.S. citizenship, and also obtain better jobs, earn their G.E.D. or college degree, and pursue their life goals.