Adult Education and Family Literacy Week

September 19-25, 2021 marks the annual Adult Education and Family Literacy Week, hosted by the National Coalition for Literacy  This week exists to remind us all that reading, writing, and basic math remain an elusive target for 43 million adults nationwide, including 1 in 10 adults in Buncombe County (this is enough people to fill the Harrahs’ Cherokee Center three times). These neighbors lack the literacy skills they need to get better jobs, help their children with homework, or participate fully in our community. They struggle with simple tasks like completing a form at the doctor’s office or reading the label on a prescription medicine bottle. 43 percent of adults who have low literacy skills live in poverty, and 72 percent of children of low-literate adults read below grade level. What does this say about the cycle of poverty?  The mission of Literacy Together is to break that cycle of generational poverty. In recognition of Adult Education and Family Literacy Week, Literacy Together would like to ask you to join forces with us to accomplish our mission to transform lives and communities through literacy. I invite you to learn more about how you can help with the literacy crisis by visiting the Literacy Together website or calling our office at 828-254-3442. Even if you have visited our website before, I encourage you to check the website again to see the life-changing programs that Literacy Together has been providing during the pandemic. You can also learn more about our recent camp and the other ways we are tackling this literacy crisis head-on. I truly believe that we can make a difference in our community and change lives together through the power of literacy.