lvsa annual reportfinal

Annual Report 2009-2010LiteracyVolunteers ServingAdults/Northern Delaware, Inc.

Wilmington, Delaware

L

A

VS

LITERACY

VOLUNTEERS

SERVING

ADULTS

OPENING MINDS ... CHANGING LIVES

Adult illiteracy is alife of isolation.Getting over the

hurdle of finding alearning guide canoften be an insur-mountable experience.Learners who have areading level belowthat of a fifth graderquickly fall behind,

often ending up more discouraged and disap-pointed than when they began. Literacy Vol-unteers Serving Adults helps our learnersbreak through the barriers.

Learners depend upon and receive life-changing guidance in reading, writing, math,and computer skills, along with English in-struction from either a volunteer tutor orteacher. Volunteer tutors and teachers de-pend upon our Director and Program Coordi-nator for leadership, training, and effectiveteaching materials. In order to provide all of

these necessary educational pieces, we, theBoard of Directors, rely upon the support ofour donors.

Our accomplishments outlined in this 2009-2010 Annual Report have been made possiblein a tough economic climate by the generos-ity of individuals, foundations, and corpora-tions that share our mission, “Opening Minds. . . Changing Lives.”

As you read the pages that follow, pleasekeep in mind that all of our accomplishmentswould not have been possible without thework of many people. I am grateful for thesupport of a dedicated Board of Directors, apassionate staff, and generous donors.

ArthurW. RitchieBoard President

LiteracyVolunteers

ServingAdults

helps ourlearners

breakthrough the

barriers

Stories fromour LVSA

communityof learnersand tutors

keep usfocused on

success

From the President

From the Director

This has been abusy and produc-tive year for Liter-

acy Volunteers ServingAdults (LVSA). We havebeen able not only tohold our own in thesetough economic times,but also to thrive. Wenow have more than 30basic reading learners

matched with tutors. We have added twonew classes for beginning readers at theWoodlawn Library, and have set up a socialnetwork to connect tutors with each otherand our staff. In addition, this past year,LVSA once again earned accreditation fromProLiteracy Worldwide for meeting and ex-ceeding all benchmarks for volunteer literacyorganizations.

We have also been able to expand the AdultLiteracy and Language Learning Center at

the Bear Library with a grant from the Ameri-can Recovery and Reinvestment Act throughFirst State Community Action Agency. Thisprogram focuses on teaching the basic Eng-lish skills that non-native speakers need tobecome more successful as workers, parentsand community members.

Stories from our LVSA community of learnersand tutors keep us focused on success. Thestaff—Cathy, Alyssa and I—are motivated byour hard-working learners and our amazingvolunteers who give so freely of their timeand talents and inspire us everyday. We atLVSA firmly believe that literacy is the wayforward to a more productive and self-suffi-cient life, working towards the AmericanDream.

Cynthia E. ShermeyerDirector

2—Literacy Volunteers Serving Adults • 2009-2010 Annual Report


Management & General Fundraising

Revenue

Expenses

RevenueContributions* $123,906Government Grants 132,352Other (including earned income) 2,522Total $258,780

*This category includes gifts from individuals, the United Way Contributor Choice Program,grants from corporations and foundations, and special fundraising events.

Literacy VolunteersServing Adults/NorthernDelaware, Inc., is atax-exempt,501[c][3] educa-tional organization.All contributionsare tax deductibleto the extent al-lowed by law.Theorganization’s com-plete audited finan-cial statement isavailable from Lit-eracy VolunteersServing Adults/NorthernDelaware, Inc.,Post Office Box2083, Wilmington,DE 19899.

LVSA by the numbersFiscalYear July 1, 2009 – June 30, 2010

ExpensesLiteracy Program Services $174,231Management and General 18,019Fundraising 21,624Total $213,874

Contributions Government Grants Other (including earned income)

Literacy Program Services

52%

82%

10%8%

48%

< 1%

Special thanks to ourdonors, whomakewhat we do possible

The following individuals and organi-zations generously helped to fundprograms in our 2010 Fiscal Year,from July 1, 2009, through June 30,2010.

IndividualsMr. and Mrs. Richard AbelMr. Kurt AdamsMr. and Mrs. Bob AlmondMr. Paul and Frances AltmanMr. and Mrs. David AngererMs. Sally AngeleroMs. Melanie AndrewsMs. Ruth AnselMs. Becky ArnoldMs. Jane Ellen BabeMs. Jeanne BadlatoMs. Charlotte BakerMr. Cornelius BanksMr. and Mrs. David BankstonMr. and Mrs. William BarlowMs. Barbara BeamanMr. and Mrs. Bruce Beardwood*Mr. Robert BellMs. Cindy Bennett*Ms. Allison BerlMs. Marcilee BierleinMr. and Mrs.Yaroslav BilinskyMr. and Mrs. Thomas BisioMr. Anthony Bleach*Mr. and Mrs. Dwin BohnMr. and Mrs. William BouldenMr. Richard BowenMr. Gustavo BravoMr. Roberts Brokaw III*Ms. Sarah BrownMr. and Mrs. Stanley BudnerMs. Theresa CancroMr. and Mrs. Anthony CardinalMs. Betsy CarpenterSenator and Mrs. Thomas CarperHon. and Mrs. Michael Castle*Ms. Rosella ChampionYu Tang ChouMs. Eileen ConnerMr. and Mrs. Steven CopeMr. and Mrs. Harry CrippsMr. Peter DalleoMr. Bob Darby

Mr. and Mrs. Timothy DavisMs. Paula Maude DaytonMs. Erin DelanoMr. and Mrs. Curtis DellMr. Chris DelorenzoMs. Marian DelpMs. Nancy DevineMs. Deanne DewarMs. Marcia DiemerMs. Marcy DienerMr. and Mrs. Frank DilleyMr. and Mrs. Bruce Dittmar*Dr. Tanya DjanegaraMs. Susan DodsMs. Judith DolingerDr. and Dr. Robert Dressler and

Susan Szabo*Ms. Johanna DunnMr. and Mrs. Edward DuPontMrs. Marion EhrlichMr. and Mrs. Raymond EidMr. and Mrs. John EklundMrs. Gretchen ElhassaniMs. Helen EliasonMr. and Mrs. Richard EmmertMrs. Susan FallonMr. and Mrs. Jack FinkMs. Rona FinkelsteinMs. Nancy J. FramptonMrs. Virginia FrantaMr. and Mrs. Charles GawthropMr. Jax M. GellerMr. Alden GibbsMs. Louise GlennMr. and Mrs. Michael GlessnerMr. and Mrs. James GodfreyMr. and Mrs. Richard Goldbaum*Mrs. Robert GoreMr. John GrahamMs. Mary GreenbergMr. and Mrs. James Greenshields*Dr. and Mrs. Richard GrenvilleMs. Ruth GriffinMr. Fernando GuevaraMr. Chester GulczynskiMr. Edward HannagenMs. Margaret HarrellMs. E. McCrae HarrisonMr. and Mrs. John HawkinsMs. Roberta HeadleyMr. and Mrs. Clyde HessMr. Nicholas Hester*Dr. and Mrs. Robert HickokMs. Fannie Hill*Mr. and Mrs. John Himes

Ms. Pamela HoffmanMs. Sherry HoffmanMs. Ruth HoldenMs. Deborah HowardMr. and Mrs. Bruce HubbardMs. Elizabeth HuntMr. and Mrs. James HunterMr. and Mrs. Robert HurkaMs. Jen JaquethMs. Karla JensenMs. Marynell JewettMs. Cindy JohnsonMs. Martha JohnsonMr. Gary JollyMs. Janet JonesMr. Daniel KasprzakMr. and Mrs. Mark KaufmanMr. and Mrs. Dennis KeelerMs. Barbara KemperMs. Bridget KirkMs. Naomi KleinMr. and Mrs. Richard KneeMrs. Carmen KnoxMr. and Mrs. Robert KrapfMr. Robert KraverMr. and Mrs. Daniel KristolMr. and Mrs. Walter KruseMr. Kenneth KubackiMs. Mary LandollMr. and Mrs. Sebastian LaRoccaDr. and Mrs. Allen LevyMs. Kristin LierschMr. James A. LivingstonMr. and Mrs. Ken LomaxMs. Alice LongMr. and Mrs. Edward Loper, Sr.Mr. and Mrs. Thomas LoperMs. Mary Ann LougheedMr. and Mrs. Herbert LubitzMr. and Mrs. Fred Ludman*Mr. and Mrs. Basil MaasMs. Denise MadisonMr. John MalloyMr. and Mrs. Steven MarinoMr. and Mrs. David MarvinDr. and Mrs. Fred Masterson*Mr. and Mrs. Stephen McGrathMr. and Mrs. William McLain*Dr. Knut MeyerMs. Marjorie MeyermannMr. and Mrs. John MicklosMr. and Mrs. Emil MikityMr. Donald MinnichMr. and Mrs. Bruce MonroeMr. Michael Morgan

Donors 2009-2010*United Way


Dr. and Mrs. Michael MorrisMr. and Mrs. Patrick MorrisMr. and Mrs. Timothy MorrisMr. and Mrs. Kenneth NachbarMr. and Mrs. Chandan NathMr. and Mrs. Harold NeikirkMs. Julia NeikirkMs. Pamela Nelson*Mr. Quoc-Anh NguyenMrs. Ana NievesMr. and Mrs. Parry NorlingMr. and Mrs. Edward NovakMr. J. J. Nuttall*Ms. Carol O’DonnellMr. Charles OberlyMr. and Mrs. Daniel OldhamMr. and Mrs. Alan PalmerJiyeon ParkMr. Michael J. PavlinMs. Elizabeth Pfeufer*Ms. Bonnie PorterMr. and Mrs. Richard PotterMr. and Mrs. Donald ProudMr. Thomas PrzybylskiMr. and Mrs. Nathaniel PufferMs. Deborah L. PyleMr. Edward Redfield IIIMr. and Mrs. Ronald RiebmanMr. and Mrs. James RigglemanMr. Arthur RitchieMs. Dorothy RobinsonMr. and Mrs. Ernest Ruppe*Ms. Janet SalackiMs. Emily SandersMs. Janet SandersMs. Judy SargentMr. and Mrs. F. Charles ShermeyerMs. Lisa SchetrompfMr. John SchmutzMr. Axel SchwendtMr. and Mrs. James ScottMr. and Mrs. Rodney Sharp IIIMs. Frances SheltonMs. Nan ShowalterMs. Stephanie SeliceMrs. John SinclairMr. Nirmal SinghMr. Jack SkehanMs. Suzanne SmithMr. William SmithMs. Nuria SolanoMr. and Mrs. David Sorber*Mr. John StaceyMr. and Mrs. Don StitzMs. Linda Taylor

Ms. Teresa ThompsonMr. and Mrs. Timothy TraversMr. and Mrs. Frances Trzuskowski*Mr. and Mrs. David VenetianerMs. Wendy VossMs. Ledee WakefieldMrs. Lisa H. WagnerMr. and Mrs. James Walker*Mr. and Mrs. James WalnockMs. Delores Washington*Mr. Lawrence WatsonMr. and Mrs. Richard WaxmanMrs. Kate WeaverMr. Daniel WeintraubMs. Tomoko WerbeMr. Richard WheelerMr. and Mrs. Donald WhiteMs. Mary WhiteMr. and Mrs. William Wood, Jr.Mr. Edgard WoolardMrs. Janet Worrell*Ms. ChristineYasikMs. JennyYehMs. Diane Zilka

BusinessesDelmarva PowerDuPontForever Green Landscaping, Inc.Longview Capital ManagementMorris and Morris LLC,

Counselors at LawTD BankThorndale Dental AssociatesDr. Allan S. Tocker and Associates,

Optometry P.A.Wilmington Dental AssociatesWSFS Bank

FoundationsRose H. Charles and Rita Arsht

FoundationThe Christmas Shop FoundationCrestlea Foundation, Inc.Delaware Community FoundationDelaware Fund for WomenLaffey-McHugh FoundationLongwood Foundation, Inc.Welfare Foundation, Inc.

Organizations andGovernmentAgenciesCity of WilmingtonCub Scout Pack 527

Delaware Department of EducationAdult and Prison Education Work

GroupFirst State Community Action

AgencyGrant-in-AidRed Hat Society

In-KindGiftsWe deeply appreciate the invaluablein-kind services from the followingcontributors:

BBC Tavern And GrillBear LibraryBrandywine LibraryBrandywine ZooBuckley’s TavernCafé NapoliCafé GelatoCalvary Presbyterian ChurchChrist Church Christiana HundredThe Community NewsCVSCromwell’s TavernDeer Park Tavern & Mc Glynn’s PubHarry’s Savoy GrillHockessin Athletic ClubIron Hill Brewery and RestaurantKreston’s Liquor Mart, Inc.Limestone Presbyterian ChurchNewark LibraryNewark United Methodist ChurchOver Coffee CaféPizza by ElizabethsSunrise CleanersTheater N at NemoursTodd’s Beauty SalonToscana Kitchen and BarWestminister Presbyterian ChurchWhite Clay Creek Presbyterian

ChurchWidener UniversityWilmington LibraryWoodlawn Library

Our apologies to any contributorwho may have been inadvertentlyomitted. Every effort has been madeto list donors accurately. Please in-form our office of any corrections at302-658-5624.

Donors 2009-2010*United Way


Working with small groups, Ruth (shown prepar-ing for a lesson at left) provides both challengeand security as the instructor to her two small

Basic Reader classes at the Woodlawn Library.

While patient and quiet, Ruth has a great sense ofhumor that opens up her learners and their abilities tosucceed. Looking to unlock the lives of those who “livein secret” with illiteracy and/or reading disabilities,Ruth works to tear down prior negative school experi-ences and to build a positive learning atmosphere forall of her learners.

Over thirty years of special education teaching allowsher to give the “self-satisfaction of using all that youknow” to her learners and those that she meets. Ruth’seager and determined adult learners do not lack in themotivation to achieve and grow.

Woodlawn small group learners quickly find out “this isnot the last step – this is only the first step in learning.”Ruth is the starting point of their transition to positive,confident and thriving futures.

Who we are . . . LVSA success stories


“...this is notthe last step –

this is onlythe first stepin learning.”

Teacher

Abetter life,” Abe says. Itseems so simple; thisoften repeated explana-

tion for why he and so many ofhis fellow immigrants firstcome to America.

Of course, what it really im-plies for most who immigrateto the United States is a quitecomplex and difficult set ofchoices.

Fourteen years earlier, in search of opportunity, Abe (shown above with with Karen Kin-sella) left his family and small village in the Ivory Coast. Settling in Delaware and work-ing alone as a night security guard, Abe filled his hours watching television to learnEnglish.

Abe walked into the LVSA office and successfully fulfilled his dream to become a U.S.citizen.

“My tutor, Lisa, pulled me towards my goal. She knew I could do it. I needed someonewho would listen to me and help me perfect my English. Now I feel like I belong.”

Adult Learner

Aspiring Citizen


Like many a basic reading learner’s jour-ney, Mike’s is made up of more than onestop. As a child, he struggled in an edu-

cational system that lacked the appropriateprograms for students with learning disabili-ties. Marked as one of the “bad kids,” hemoved on to the Merchant Marines and thentrucking.

Knowing that something was missing and that“everything revolves around reading,” Mike(shown at right practicing his reading) is now ahighly motivated learner of Ruth’s BasicReader classes at Woodlawn.

“The world has opened up for me, and now I am wondering what I missed. It makesme mad, but now I can’t say enough. Ruth has helped me 100 fold,” says Mike, whocan now read and understand “everyday words” and enjoys reading with friends.Mike is adapting to the world of technology – he is learning text messaging to fur-ther his driving career.

Mike smiles, “Don’t judge a book by the cover, that would be me.”

“The worldhas openedup for me,and now I amwonderingwhat Imissed.”

“My tutor,Lisa, pulledme towardsmy goal.She knew Icould do it.”

In celebration of National Adult Educa-tion and Family Literacy Week, LVSArecognized the dedication and accom-

plishments of 33 English language learn-ers who are students of the Adult Literacyand Language Learning Center programat the Bear Library on Thursday, Septem-ber 16, 2010. Currently funded by a grantfrom the American Reinvestment and Re-covery Act, all classes are taught by KarenKinsella (below right). Learners work to-gether on building their communication,math and computer skills and on UnitedStates civics and citizenship knowledge.This highly successful LVSA program willcontinue through a Self-Sufficiency Com-munity Services Block Grant obtainedthrough First State Community ActionAgency.

Doris (above right), originally from Ghana,earned recognition for attending 126 pro-gram hours and for greatly improving herEnglish communication skills. A diligentstudent, Doris enjoys completing herhomework and practicing speaking “ap-propriately” with her classmates.Friends and classmates Lilian and Helen

also work with Karen to increase theirEnglish proficiency. Recognized for their

attendance and hours of participationwith their class, both enjoy learning withtheir motivated classmates. “Karen en-courages us and we learn so much fromher,” says Lilian. “This is the best present Ihave—to be here with everyone. Afterlearning English for ten years, I still needto learn all of the basics. Karen is so pa-tient. I learn so much from her.”


Adult Literacy and Language Learning Center –Bear Library: Motivated learners improve skills

“Karen is sopatient. I

learn so muchfrom her.”


Spellebration isLVSA’s major fundraiser of the year.In 2009, the eventraised nearly$8,000 in supportof LVSA’sprograms.

Spellebrationbrings togetherSCRABBLE®beginners andaficianados for anafternoon of play,raffles, door prizesand camaraderie.The eventcontinues to groweach year.

Annualeventkeeps

growing


Our numbers add up to successes

127 Adult learners received tutoring services.

30 New volunteers were trained as literacy tutors.

87Volunteers gave 5,488 instructional hours to learners.

20 Other volunteers gave over 800 hours of support in other ways.

More than 130 positive outcomes and literacy gains were achieved by ALLlearners and program participants.

More than 70 specific skills were achieved by learners, including: improved read-ing levels; voter registration; improved health or financial literacy; improved vocabu-lary, comprehension and reading literacy; citizenship; State of DelawareCitizenship certificate.

More than 50 work-related goals were achieved by learners including the ability to:obtain, retain, or improve employment; learn and use technology; secure relatedcertifications and promotions; write a resume; conduct a job interview.

More than 94 family and personal goals were achieved by learners including theability to: read to children and help with homework; obtain a library card; participatein parent education classes; join the PTA; participate in school activities; participatein church activities.

57percent of the adults in the English language learners’ classes increased theirlistening and speaking skills.

5 LVSA learners have passed the U.S. Naturalization Test and achievedU.S. citizenship.

LVSA has educated learners from 98 countries.

Literacy isthe ability to

read, write,compute,

and usetechnology

at a levelthat enablesan individual

to reach hisor her full

potential asa parent,

employee,and

communitymember.


Support LVSA

What would you do if you couldn’t read?

Your help is vital to LVSA’s low-literacy solution because we rely on charitable contri-butions to keep our unique, learner-centered programs free of charge for low-literacyadults in New Castle County, Delaware.

We are a 501 [c][3] organization; so all donations to LVSA are tax deductible. For morethan 28 years, LVSA has been Northern Delaware’s only adult literacy organization,providing one-on-one tutoring exclusively to adults who read and write at or below thefifth-grade level.

Thanks to the support of our donors, we’ve grown from a small volunteer group to aleader in Northern Delaware’s adult illiteracy community. By donating, you can helpLVSA continue to change the lives of hundreds of adults and their families each year.

As a lean, volunteer-based organization, LVSA maximizes every dollar we receive –which means we deeply appreciate gifts of any size.

You can easily and securely donate to LVSA online at litvolunteers.org, or you can mailyour gift to:

Literacy Volunteers Serving AdultsP.O. Box 2083Wilmington, DE 19899

If you would like to find out more about making an in-kind gift, a gift of stock or aplanned gift, please contact Cynthia E. Shermeyer, Executive Director, at302-658-5723 or e-mail [email protected].

By donating,you can helpLVSAcontinue tochange thelives ofhundreds ofadults andtheir familieseach year.

Here are a few examples of what your gift will go for:

• $30 pays for one reading, math or English textbook• $50 pays for non-text book supplies for one learner• $75 pays for registration and literacy assessment for

one learner• $200 pays for supplies for a basic reader class• $800 pays for for one learner to enroll and receive

instruction for one year

LVSA Mission StatementThe purpose of Literacy Volunteers Serving Adults/Northern Delaware, Inc. (LVSA) isto help adults improve literacy skills and thereby realize their potential to beconfident, self-sufficient, and productive employees and community members. Wedeliver services and programs in reading, writing, English language, math, work-place, and computer skills. LVSA works to create public understanding of the impactof illiteracy and advocates for literacy solutions.

Literacy Volunteers Serving Adults/Northern Delaware, Inc.Post Office Box 2083, Wilmington, DE 19899

LVSA Headquarters and Administrative OfficesWilmington Library

10th and Market StreetsWilmington, DE 19801Phone: 302-658-5624

Fax: 302-654-9132

Adult Literacy Learning CenterWoodlawn Library2020 W. 9th Street

Wilmington, DE 19805

E-Mail: [email protected]

Board of Directors2009-2010

Arthur W. Ritchie, ChairBob Hurka, Treasurer

Michael F. MorganPatrick Francis Morris

Victoria M. NovakDeborah Pyle

Carolyn A. Thoroughgood, Ph.DLisa Wagner

LVSA Staff

Cynthia E. ShermeyerExecutive Director

Alyssa M. AlmondProgram Coordinator

Cathy OpdenakerAdministrative

Assistant

Literacy Volunteers Serving Adults/Northern DelawareP.O. Box 2083Wilmington, DE 19899

lvsa annual reportfinal

Education

including

bear library

computer skills

community

learners including

tax deductible

changing lives

rst step