Literacy is a key.

It's the tool you use countless times a day to access the world. But what happens if you don't have this key on your key ring?

Our executive director Meredith explains it this way:

Solving the literacy crisis requires community. It requires local investment. At RVALA we have learned we can address the literacy crisis by placing trained tutors throughout our communities to bring accessible, innovative, and welcoming education that meets people where they are. It is an approach that reduces shame and builds connection.

Our Record of Success:

Last year, thanks to donors like you, our Reaching Rural Areas campaign changed the course of our work. We were able to grow our program across five counties, which had a direct impact on our ability to bring literacy tutoring to our communities including:

New Drivers License classes in Ozark, Dover, Atkins, Booneville, and Paris
One-on-one and small group tutoring in Paris, Dover, Danville, and Hector
New community partnerships across all five counties

We served over 200 new students last year thanks to this growth! This year we want to build on those successes and help 300 families reach their educational goals.

Community is the Key:

Literacy does not happen in a vacuum. For adults, it doesn't even happen in a classroom. It's a lifelong process that happens in and with community. It requires multi-generational support. One of the ways we bring literacy tutoring to the community is through a partnership with the Arkansas READS/Americorps program. This year we have a total of four Americorps members, each serving around 7-8 hours a week. They teach drivers license classes, host ESL study groups, provide basic computer skills, help with basic literacy and help adults prepare for workforce training.

It costs RVALA roughly 5,000.00 in cash match and travel funding each year to operate the Americorps program. If you break that down, that's only 2.00 per service hour per person! Li
Your donation ensures we can put trained literacy tutors across the community, meeting people where they are!

Donate 20.00 or more and receive this sticker!

We are bringing back our "I support rural literacy stickers" again this year for new and returning donors!

Interested in your family or business become an official branded sponsor of this program? Donate 423.00 or more (the amount we pay into the Americorps program each month), and you will become an official supporter of our program! We will recognize you as a key partner in our work.

Literacy Is the Key That Unlocks Our Future