The Workforce Investment Act of 1998 defines literacy as "an individual's ability to read, write, speak in English, compute and solve problems at levels of proficiency necessary to function on the job, in the family of the individual and in society."

Literacy today means not only reading and writing, but also language skills, computing skills, problem solving, and other life skills.

• One million North Carolinians can’t read well enough to hold a job.

•  In Charlotte-Mecklenburg 20% of adults are considered functionally illiterate and 15% of adults cannot correctly fill out a job application.

•  In Charlotte-Mecklenburg, over 4,000 children begin kindergarten with little or no exposure to books, and have poorly developed language skills.72,000 adults don’t have a high school diploma or GED

•  73,000 live below the poverty line.

•  75% of all children who cannot read by the end of first grade never catch up with their peers. 

These statistics are frightening. Our literacy programs are addressing these issues. As a volunteer you can help change these statistics.