A unique collaboration to help reduce illiteracy in our community has been introduced by the Michigan City Public Library, Purdue North Central, View Outdoor Advertising, and Maxine's Restaurant.
The program, "Bringing Literacy to Life," invites anyone to volunteer to be a literacy tutor at the Michigan City Public Library, and once matched with a client, new tutors will be treated to a gift certificate of up to $10 at Maxine's Restaurant featuring numerous choices from the establishment's new menu.
"The program is designed to increase numbers of much needed tutors especially as the school season has begun. Needs for literacy tutors for clients of all ages have grown due to increasing demands for comprehension and knowledge at workplaces, higher expectations for mastery of English and Math, school achievement requirements, and increasing numbers of second language learners," says library literacy program coordinator, Cyndie McKinney.
"All tutors receive training of course. Even one hour per week will help us in our mission," says Robin Kohn, the library's director of community programming.
"As educators and businesses in the community, we, like others, are intent upon improving the quality of life of our residents. Improved literacy is fundamental to have more productive and fulfilling lives," says Leigh Ann Flora, Sales Executive for View Outdoor Advertising. "Communicating the need is our goal." View is donating billboard advertising space to help promote the cause.
Becoming a literacy tutor can be used to fulfill many requirements for service learning and community engagement, required more and more by schools and business. "Marquette Catholic High School students have already received packages of information to make their participation seamless," says Flora, mother of one such student, smiling.
Judy Jacobi, assistant vice chancellor of marketing and community relations at Purdue North Central, who helped spearhead the project, thought that an incentive offered for a limited time would help spur more tutor and student "matches" especially after the summer and into next year.
"Brandi Hula, Maxine's new proprietor, stepped up and offered to treat each newly matched volunteer with a certificate for up to $10 from a variety of dishes on the restaurant's new menu," says Jacobi. "It's a pleasure to help a young community entrepreneur, and incentivize volunteers who really want to help bring literacy to people's lives."
The literacy volunteer incentive program will continue until May 15, 2014. To find out more about becoming a volunteers, contact Cyndie McKinney, literacy coordinator, Michigan City Public Library, 219-873-3043.