Literacy DuPage - Fueled by the
SPARK
of our supporters!
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'Tis the season of cozy sweaters, pumpkin spice, and leaf piles (even if they are frosted with snow). Somehow, the chilly air makes our hearts a little bit warmer. So, with a spirit of warmth and gratitude, this issue of The Spark is full of thanks for those who support Literacy DuPage. Read on to:
- Find out how many lives were touched by our big-hearted army of volunteers this past year
- Meet a devoted volunteer who supports Literacy DuPage in just about every way possible
- Learn just how busy a library can be (and still have time to serve as one of our crucial community partners)
- See how your online shopping can result in a little more support for Literacy DuPage
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Energy in Action
We like to say that Literacy DuPage runs on volunteer energy. And what a powerful force that is! In Fiscal Year 2019, here's what our dedicated learners and tutors accomplished:
- 438 volunteers donated their energy to Literacy DuPage, racking up 14,220 hours of tutoring time!
- That time and dedication touched the lives of 558 learners through small group or one-on-one tutoring.
- Additionally, their volunteerism allowed for 1,023 learners to attend drop-in conversation groups throughout DuPage County!
This vital and transformative work is only possible because of supportive people ... people like you! Thank you for making a positive impact in our community!
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Volunteer Spotlight
LAURA T.
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Four years ago, Laura T. came to Literacy DuPage as a volunteer tutor. When her learner returned to Spain, Laura wanted to stay involved, but in a different way. She offered her time and talents to our staff and quickly became an indispensable member of our office team.
Like so many volunteers, Laura values the experience of taking part in a worthy cause, so she does all she can. In addition to volunteering in the office, she runs with our Laps for Literacy team and is a loyal donor.
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"I know from working in the office that donating to Literacy DuPage is of good value," said Laura. "We all try to be good stewards of the money we get from grants and donations!"
Laura's volunteer experience has also shown her just how challenging and important it is to learn English.
"The first thing I learned was how difficult a language English is," she said. "
I was also surprised to learn how many people in DuPage County are in
need
of English tutoring services.
Helping people gain English literacy skills can literally turn their lives around. Imagine how much better interactions with medical providers, teachers, law enforcement, aid groups, neighbors – anyone really – are with good English skills."
If you call the office and Laura picks up, please tell her you saw her smile in
The Spark
, and thank her for her tireless support of Literacy DuPage!
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Community Partner
Downers Grove Public Library
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Did you know the Downers Grove Public Library is one of the busiest libraries in suburban Chicagoland?
Annually, they have over 500,000 visitors who check out more than one million items!
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They also provide many free-of-charge services for all ages: concerts, story times, computer classes, eBooks and eReaders, teen events, research assistance, readers advisory, meeting space, and more! To learn more about the library and its upcoming events, please visit their
website
.
Alongside all those services, the Downers Grove Public Library is a strong partner to Literacy DuPage. They continually provide space for our learners and tutors to meet weekly, for periodic Meet & Greet sessions where we recruit volunteers, and for training sessions where we teach and prepare new tutors. They offer ample materials for our learners and tutors to use, and their staff is always happy and available to help.
Next month, the library will feature Literacy DuPage as its
Organization of the Month
– a
program that makes library patrons aware of groups doing good things in the local community. If you happen to be in Downers Grove in December, drop by the library to see our display and pay us a visit!
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Your Online Shopping Habit Can Be Good for Literacy DuPage
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Did you know that whenever you shop at Amazon.com, you can give a portion of your spending to Literacy DuPage? Just select Literacy DuPage as your supported charity through
AmazonSmile.
At no additional cost to you, we will receive 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases.
Maybe you've been donating to Literacy DuPage this way for awhile now. Thanks! But can we trouble you to double-check the connection? We recently updated our name in AmazonSmile (formerly Literacy Volunteers of America – DuPage, now Literacy DuPage).
If your Amazon Smile shows the old name, here's what you can do:
- Temporarily select a different charitable organization.
- Re-select Literacy DuPage.
- This should update the information so you see our updated name.
AmazonSmile is just one way you can support Literacy DuPage. To discover even more, please check out our latest blog post for
6 ways to support Literacy DuPage
this giving season and all year long.
Thank you!
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Literacy DuPage - Fueled by the
SPARK
of our supporters!
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Until next time,
Cassandra Shepherd
Marketing Manager
(630) 942-5210
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