For almost all of us, it is hard to imagine not being able to read; the closest I can get to that point is to imagine that I wake up in Omsk, Russia or Xinyang, China or Ibusuki, Japan and the written words there have no meaning for me at all. Our world depends on the written word, not only on paper, but on computers, the web, texting messages etc. Because we can read, we can understand, we can make sense of the world surrounding us and we can be successful.

The Literacy League of Dorchester County is an organization that supports programs that relate to increasing literacy in adults and children in our community. We invest in organizations that do meaningful work teaching adults and children to improve their literacy skills, thus allowing them to make lasting changes in their lives. These organizations are either have existing programs with proven records of success or experimental programs needing seed money to get started.

The Literacy League has supported the following programs and disbursed a total of $16,000 in grant money to date:

The Judy Center, in Cambridge, where we have sponsored home libraries for children who have no books in their homes. Through this program parents and children are reading together.

The Harriet Tubman Center, in Hurlock, where we helped to finance a summer program called “Learn, Serve and Earn”.

New Beginnings, in Cambridge, which has started a reading group specifically aimed at restoring communication between mothers and daughters.

Young People on the Move, in Hurlock, where a book club will help to bring students up to their grade level of reading.

Our major fundraising activities have been two beautiful and successful antiques shows at Governor’s Hall at Sailwinds Park, which attracted a large number of people to historic Cambridge from many parts of the region, thus gaining recognition for our goals and for the community at large. Our third Literacy League Antiques Show and Sale at Governor’s Hall will take place from April 18- 20, 2008.

A little additional information about some of the organizations:

The Judy Center

At the Judy Center the goal is to provide a place where the needs of children and families are met through partnerships with many agencies involved with improving the lives of children in the community.

The specific aim of the Judy Center is to assure school readiness for all pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students entering elementary school. In achieving this aim, the Judy Center provides parenting classes, GED programs, literacy programs, health and diagnostic services, and much more. The staff provides in-home visits, teaching parents how to create nurturing interactions with their children.

Services are provided for children, from birth through kindergarten, and their parents.

Although the Center receives funding, it relies on donations to enrich its programs.

The Harriet Tubman Center of Excellence
The Harriet Tubman Center of Excellence is a community supported, after school educational center. The center is a resource for children from age three through high school, who either need some remedial help, a wholesome and worthwhile place to be after school, or need enrichment to remind them that learning is fun. 

The Center is open from 3:30 to 8:00 pm during the school year to provide tutoring, mentoring, enrichment classes, snacks, encouragement, rewards, trips and recreational activities to school children in the community.

The teachers are volunteers from the local school system, retired teachers and community volunteers. They are exceptional people because they care.

Parents are an important part of the program. They are asked to participate fully and contribute to the maintenance and funding of the Center.

During the summer, the Center ran a program for 12 to 15 year olds, named “Learn, Serve & Earn”. The students learned work ethics, communication and money management skills, and how to obtain and succeed at a job. Local merchants supported the program with both money and jobs, but the Center issued the pay according to strict guidelines echoing those in the real world.