The Humboldt Literacy project hosted their first fundraiser luncheon this Mothers Day to promote adult literacy.
“We connect volunteer tutors with adults 18 and up who want to improve their reading and writing. So our funds go to operations, to keeping offices open in Eureka and Fortuna and lots of study materials. So our biggest expenses are probably people and books”, says Emma Brecain, executive director of the Humboldt Literacy project.
“When you’re supporting our project, you’re supporting literacy in Humboldt County. We are helping people get jobs.We’re even helping people start businesses in Humboldt County. We’re helping people get the skills to volunteer in other organizations in Humboldt County. to work with their kids, schools and teachers, help the kids with their homework, read a medicine label, read a recipe. and that builds stronger families. It builds a stronger workforce in Humboldt County. And that is something that benefits an entire community”, Brecain says.
The Humboldt Literacy project helps people in a variety of circumstances.
“Everyone, including my own staff, is always surprised to hear that we actually have an adult illiteracy rate of 15% in the United States of America, and it’s surprising if you’re one of the 85%”, she said.
“We have three programs. So our main program is adult literacy services. That’s adult native English speakers who might have had a gap in their education or an injury or an illness that affected their literacy”, says Brecain.
The Bayside Grange is looking forward to hosting more events in the future.
“You know, we have the space, so we want to make the space available for these institutions locally. And, so that’s the challenge is finding those people and making it happen and making it fun for everyone and supporting the local culture and so far, it’s working”, says Bill Burgess, Treasurer at the Bayside Grange.
“Humboldt County needs people. It needs organizations, but it needs people, and organizations can bring people together. And so we’re attempting to be another half, like, here’s a space, who are you? Come, come together. How do you help? And figuring all that stuff and putting those people together, is what we like to do”, he said.
The Humboldt Literacy Project is free to join and you can learn more at https://www.humboldtliteracy.org/
Story by Tucker Caraway
