Dear Friends,
It is hard to believe what can change in a year! Twelve months ago, we were just beginning to welcome the news of a vaccine for the coronavirus and we were waiting with bated breath to see what 2021 would bring.
While it is easy to get swept up in the rhetoric of “another long, hard year”, I have to say that I am amazed at everything we witnessed and accomplished – as a community, as a country, and as an organization – in 2021. And if you don’t believe me, here is a great list of things that were accomplished this year around the world.
I truly believe that we will look back on this time of tremendous challenges with equally tremendous pride. We have learned how to be more versatile, resilient, and creative than ever before.
The Literacy Center, too, has helped more people, with more rigor, than any year in the past. Over the course of 2021, we grew tremendously, both in the size of our team and the intensity of our work.
We have found new ways to reach individuals for whom education seemed out of reach (thanks to innovations in technology that allowed us to do so).
We reopened our doors for tutoring and small classes, bringing life back to our beautiful building. We strove to become more inclusive and representative, an endeavor that will be on-going. We also became innovators – designing and launching programs that allow our students to learn in ways that work better for working families.
We made volunteering with TLC more accessible by redesigning our training programs and we welcomed dozens of new volunteers to our tutoring pool.
You can learn more about becoming a tutor in 2022 here.
In the upcoming year, The Literacy Center is launching a strategic planning process which will help us integrate all that we have learned over the past few years into a plan for the future.
We are excited to expand our programs and deepen our commitment to the communities that we serve through this process. I invite you to let us know if you’d like to be more involved with TLC as we plan for our future. We would be honored to have your input.
In the meantime, please join me in continuing to have hope for the world that we share. I believe there is much to be thankful for as we turn the corner on the new year, and at the top of my list is the support that you have shown us through these challenging times.
I can’t wait to see what 2022 has in store for us.
With optimism and gratitude,
Amanda Blount
Executive Director