WHAT YOUR LITERACY COUNCIL IS DOING 

ONE-TO-ONE ADULT program provides free and confidential tutoring to Burke County citizens who want to learn to read or to improve their literacy skills. The Literacy Council recruits and trains volunteer tutors and provides both books and a place to study. 

PROJECT CITIZENSHIP is a literacy program that helps immigrants prepare for and pass the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) examination. The Literacy Council provides instruction, tutors, tutor training and materials for the project.

PROJECT FLOWER helps non-English speaking students learn to read, write, and speak English. Through a collaborative effort between Burke County Literacy Council, Burke County Partnership for Children, Grace Episcopal Church and Burke County Transit Authority, new residents are able to attend weekly tutoring sessions in a safe, comfortable, and supportive environment. Trained community volunteers provide one-to-one or very small group instruction to students.

REACH OUT AND READ (ROR) makes early literacy part of pediatric primary care. The Literacy Council provides children’s books to participating pediatricians who give a new, developmentally appropriate book to each child age six months to five years at his/her well check visits. Through ROR, every child starts school with a home library of at least eight children’s books and parents understand that reading aloud is the most important thing they can do to help their children learn to love books.  
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MOTHEREAD/FATHEREAD® combines the teaching of literacy skills with child development and family empowerment issues. The approach teaches the "why" of reading as well as the "how" and uses books to strengthen the bonds between parent and child. MOTHEREAD/FATHEREAD class sites have included Burke/Catawba Detention Facility, Options, Blue Ridge Community Action Head Start programs, Family Resource Centers, Family Connections, GED classes, the Morganton Housing Authority complexes, Pre-K Summer Program and meetings with parents of kindergarten students.