Project Read, a Utah County-based nonprofit adult literacy program, is expanding into Salt Lake County. Founded in 1984, Project Read provides individual tutoring and small group instruction to help individuals improve their ability to read, write, compute, and use technology sufficiently to meet personal goals, function well in society, and become more productive citizens.
According to the American Community Survey, Salt Lake County is home to 784,800 people over the age of 16. Of those adults, an estimated 17% are illiterate — roughly 133,416 adults in Salt Lake County cannot read above a 4th grade reading level. By working with this underprivileged community, Project Read hopes to improve their quality of life, as well as improving the community and economy of Utah.
The McGraw Hill Research Foundation in 2011 found that each adult educational graduate — a person who earns their GED — contributes over $6,000 more to their local economy than a nongraduate adult. For Salt Lake County, the current illiteracy estimates represent an annual loss of more than $800 million. Beyond that, increased literacy improves the quality of life significantly, affecting every aspect of a person’s life, from family to employment to health.
Project Read’s Salt Lake office is in the Granite Peaks School for Adult Education. Weekly classes are offered at the Columbus Community Center in South Salt Lake. Individual tutoring sessions are being held in one of the eighteen Salt Lake County Library locations.
We need your help to spread the word! If you or someone you know is struggling with their reading, writing, math, or computer skills, send them our way. We are also looking for volunteers and donors to help support the program. Call (801) 448-7323 (READ) or visit our website at www.projectreadutah.org.
Shauna K. Brown, executive director, Project Read, Salt Lake City
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