Tutor a child, change a life.

An unmet need and a substantial waiting list

Literacy Together’s biggest current need is additional volunteer tutors for the Youth Literacy program. This program serves low-income children who read, write, and/or spell below grade level.  The current waiting list has more than 50 children seeking tutoring. Tutoring is one-on-one and every new tutor we train will be matched with a student from our waiting list who desperately needs literacy tutoring to catch up with their classmates.

New training model makes it easier to become a Youth Literacy tutor

We have made the training commitment easier, working with current and potential volunteers to restructure the timing, content, and delivery of the volunteer training. 

Contact Rebecca to sign up today! [email protected] or 828-254-3442 x202

Create the impact of a lifetime

“The Youth Literacy program (formerly The Augustine Project) and Mary Fraser (my son’s tutor) have been an answer to our prayers…  This program has helped Graham’s reading  immensely, and his self esteem has also improved. Our family is truly blessed by this program and by the help that Mary has provided.” 

Barbara, student’s mother

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Reaching Children Who Need Books the Most

A program designed for all children

The Literacy Council of Buncombe County currently has the capacity to enroll 1,905 children in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library thanks to funding from Buncombe Partnership for Children and the NC state legislature. This book gifting program mails a free, age-appropriate book to enrolled children every month from birth until they turn five years old. The program is designed to be open to all children under the age of five in a service area. 

Partners are key to enrolling
hard-to-reach children

At the Literacy Council of Buncombe County, we know that more literate and middle-to-high income families tend to hear about the program more frequently through social media and the internet; have access to computers, printers, and postage stamps to submit the enrollment form; and have the literacy skills needed to fill out the enrollment form.

In order to ensure that we are also reaching children who live in households without these resources, we have developed partnerships with organizations that can assist families in high-needs, low-income, and/or low-literate homes in filling out the enrollment paperwork. By doing so, we are working to ensure that children from homes with few books can start receiving free books in the mail each month.

A new partnership reaches recently-homed families

Local nonprofit Homeward Bound has two programs that offer housing to individuals and families currently living in shelters, their cars, or on the streets. To welcome formerly homeless people into their new homes, Rezaz is donating a “first meal,” and the Literacy Council is enrolling any children under the age of five in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.  Together, these partners are providing housing, food, and children’s books to families as they enter the safety and comfort of permanent housing.

Other referral partners

Nonprofits that meet a variety of needs in Buncombe County are enrolling their clients in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. These organizations include:

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2018 Spelling Bee is a Happy Success

The Literacy Council’s 27th Annual Spelling Bee crowned Malaprop’s Buzz Killz as this year’s winners.

The Buzz Killz in all their crowned glory.

The Imagination Librarians judged the event with aplomb despite the weight of their wigs.

JB Media provided the entire judges panel this year, The Imagination Librarians, left to right: Sarah Yerkey, Tara Mele, Dolly Parton, Leah Shapiro, and Mandy Gardner.

It was a fierce competition that came down to the final three teams: The Words & The Bees (Soomo Learning), The Phonetix (ESOL Tutor Team), and The Buzz Killz (Malaprop’s). After The Words & The Bees were eliminated, The Phonetix and The Buzz Killz went head to head to the finish.

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HUGE thanks you to all the teams that competed this year!

Bee Magic—Lily Stejskal Beenut Butter Spelly Time—Buncombe Partnership for Children & Spellbound Bookshop The Buzz Kills—Malaprop’s Book Store The Phonetix – ESOL Tutor Team led by Ben Fehsenfeld The Stone Cold Jane Austens—Pack Memorial Library Tremendous Tutors—ESOL Tutor Team 2 led by Sarah Oram Scattered & Smothered—Jasper Adams The Words & The Bees – Soomo Learning

BIG bee hugs and thanks to all our in kind donors!

Asheville Bee Charmer Asheville Tourists Barbara Swell Chestnut Cosmic Groove Grail Moviehouse Harvest Records The Hop JCC Kilwin’s LaZoom Moog Nantahala Outdoor Center The Gorge/ Green River Adventures Southern Highland Craft Guild YWCA

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Learning About Building Equity and Social Justice

The Literacy Together staff has been investing time in learning about building equity and social justice within Literacy Together, in the nonprofit sector, and in our local community. Here are some resources that we are using to equip ourselves with knowledge and educated opinions. Volunteer tutors may be interested in learning through these same resources, and possibly even sharing what they learn with students in lessons, as they see appropriate.

More resources here >>

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The 27th Annual Spelling Bee Team Registration Open Now!

event-spellingbee-winners

Don’t Worry, BEE Happy! 
The Spelling Bee is back for its 27th year

Bibliophiles, word-nerds, and linguists: Save the Date!

Wednesday April 4, 2018 
at The Mothlight
6-9:00 pm
 

Recruit two friends to complete your team and sign up to compete in the most spirited and outrageous word challenge of your lives. Choose your teammates carefully — they must have both spelling and concentration skills in order to disregard the pandemonium caused by a costumed, cheering audience.

How does it work?

  • Recruit two friends and register your team by calling 828-254-3442 or emailing [email protected]. Once you register, you’ll get a team packet that includes event rules, study materials, and fundraising suggestions
  • Choose your team name and plan costumes (optional, but there are prizes for best costume!)
  • Study the word list provided
  • Raise funds online or make a personal donation to cover your team’s entry fee of $250
  • Encourage your own personal cheering squad to come and support your team from the audience

[su_button url=”https://app.etapestry.com/onlineforms/LiteracyCouncilofBuncombeCoun_1/spelling-bee-2018.html” target=”blank” style=”glass” background=”#efe62d” color=”#000000″ icon=”icon: usd” icon_color=”#000000″ text_shadow=”0px 0px 0px #000000″]10 Audience Ticket[/su_button]

Why participate?

  • It’s fun! Unleash your inner geek and join us for a zany, raucous good time
  • You can cheat! Teams that raise funds over the entry fee can pilfer an easier word or purchase clues
  • The top finishers win generous prizes, but no one walks away empty-handed. Every speller receives a prize
  • Your team could be crowned “Best Spellers in Buncombe County!”

How much does it cost?

Teams contribute a collective $250 to participate. Most teams raise this amount (and more) by encouraging friends, coworkers, family members, and others to sponsor them. We provide access to Give Lively, a fun and simple fundraising web site. Even infinitesimal donations can add up to a cheat-worthy stash! We will also offer some pointers on using social media to reach more people who want to support literacy. You have until the day of the event to raise the funds.

I had So! Much! Fun! participating in last year’s Spelling Bee. My husband came to watch the competition, heard about the Literacy Council, and was really moved by the video. He had been looking for an opportunity to volunteer and felt tutoring with the Literacy Council was so important he signed right up! It’s been great to watch his passion and commitment for it grow over the past year. (He calls his lesson preparation “homework” and that always makes me smile.)

 

Let’s get serious for a moment.

The Literacy Council of Buncombe County works to increase comprehensive literacy and English language skills through specialized instruction by trained tutors and access to literacy resources. In 2016/17, 249 volunteer tutors gave over 16,000 hours of direct reading, writing, and English language tutoring to over 300 students. We also mailed new children’s books monthly to over 600 pre-kindergarten children through Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. Our students gain self-confidence and develop the self-sufficiency to improve their lives as individuals, parents, workers, and citizens. As always, proceeds from the Spelling Bee benefit the work of the Literacy Council of Buncombe County.

Are you eager to compete?

We limit the competition to 15 teams, so be sure to reserve your spot by contacting LuAnn today at [email protected] or 828-254-3442 ext. 206.

Text to donate: 1-844-544-7171 – 2018BEEThe Mothlight

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