Let’s make our voices heard

The following is from a message sent out by ProLiteracy, Literacy Kansas City’s parent organization and a worldwide advocate for adult basic education and literacy programs:

On March 1, if Congress fails to act, government-sponsored programs and services will undergo deep across-the-board cuts through “sequestration.” Education and job training will be affected.

If the sequestration goes into effect, non-defense discretionary (NDD) programs would see a cut in federal funding of approximately 5.1 percent. This includes the Workforce Investment Act, the primary federal legislation that funds adult literacy and basic education. In fact, Career, Technical and Adult Education would be cut by $87 million, eliminating services to 624,000 high school and community college students and 128,000 adult learners. Learn more with this state-by-state fact sheet on the impact of sequestration.

We strongly urge you to contact your U.S. Senators and Representative today and tell them to preserve funding for adult literacy and basic education. A template letter and contact information for your elected officials are found on the ProLiteracy website (use the “Find Your Official” feature).

We will keep you posted on further developments. Thank you again for everything you do for adult literacy and basic education.

Student Volunteer Achievement Awards POSTPONED

The Student Volunteer Achievement Awards will be POSTPONED and will not be held this Thursday, February 21 due to reports of incoming inclement weather. We will notify all tutors, volunteers, and students when a new date has been set.

Thank you for your understanding!

The Word about The 19th Annual Corporate Spelling Bee

Here’s the latest buzz on Literacy Kansas City’s 19th Annual Corporate Spelling Bee!

Here’s a sweet reminder that Literacy Kansas City will host its 19th Annual Corporate Spelling Bee on Thursday, April 25, in the Pierson Auditorium at UMKC. The Corporate Spelling Bee is our largest fundraiser and provides funding for our general operations throughout the year.  Last year’s event over $90,000 and there were over 300 spellers, sponsors, patrons, and friends in attendance! We hope you will be able to join us! If you are interested in putting together a team or becoming a sponsor, you will find those details below.

Here’s the buzz: Participating companies are represented by four-member teams of spellers. These teams compete against one another in a single elimination spell-off. Each team gets one chance per round to spell a word correctly “Spelligans” are available prior to the Bee to buy a team out of a word they don’t want to spell! Literacy Kansas City provides full Bee rules, word practice lists, and can offer fundraising tips. We can also help organize a pre-Bee to select your spellers. (Don’t have great spellers at your company? Sponsor a non-profit team to spell for you! We can help match you with an organization.)

Get Involved

Team sponsorships begin at $3000. To view all sponsor levels and benefits, click here: 2013 Sponsorship Levels & Benefits

Are you up for the challenge? Sign up today! Click here to download the PDF form: 2013 Bee Sponsorship Form

Download a copy of our 2013 Live & Silent Auction Donation Form & Letter.

The Bee is a great way to connect people from across your organization. It offers many opportunities for team-building and for creating new energy and excitement among employees; not to mention a few friendly rivalries! Don’t forget, your involvement supports the free, one-to-one tutoring programs that Literacy Kansas City provides to functionally illiterate adults and teens in the metro area.

While we have accomplished a great deal in our community, there is still much to do. Your participation (in any capacity) in the Bee helps make it possible to fulfill our vision of literacy for all.

If you have any questions, please contact Carrie Coogan, Executive Director at (816) 333-9332 or ccoogan@literacykc.org.  A member of our Corporate Spelling Bee committee will bee in touch to follow up!

Changing Lives Events

Help us get the word out about our critical mission to help teens and adults learn how to read. LKC Executive Director, Carrie Coogan, along with a student or volunteer will come and speak to your friends, your church, your book club even your place of employment! Contact Carrie at ccoogan@literacykc.org or Diana at docchipinto@literacykc.org to find out more about scheduling a speaking engagement.

Get Involved with GEARS

LKC’s GEARS (Guided Educational Access to Reading Skills) is a tuition-free remedial reading program, designed to help prepare students for long-term success in college and employment, is a unique combination of class time and one-to-one or small group tutoring. If you would like more information about becoming a GEARS tutor, please contact Director of Programs and Educational Outreach, Gillian Helm, at ghelm@literacykc.org or (816) 604-4131.

We’re Buzzing about the Bee

BuzzzzzZ… it’s almost that time of year! The 19th Annual Corporate Spelling Bee is Thursday, April 25, 2013 at Pierson Auditorium, UMKC.

Save the date and spread the word about the Bee! The night will be filled with food, fun, drinks, as well as a Live & Silent Auction. All proceeds go to programs at Literacy Kansas City!

Update on Monthly Student Progress Report Submissions

Dear tutors,

In an effort to better serve you, the students, and our supporters we are hard at work on updating our systems processes. Recording and measuring student progress is one of the most important ways we can evaluate our own success and gain new funding support, and YOU play a great role in being able to do so. Through tutors’ submission of monthly student progress reports, Literacy Kansas City can measure what great strides students are making, the dedication our tutors have to this program, and prove to our funders that we are an asset to our community. Help us continue to serve the Kansas City area adults who need our help by submitting your progress reports each month! You can email your reports directly to progressreports@literacykc.org, or submit them online at http://www.literacykc.org/volunteer.html. Please contact me at the email address or phone number below with any questions or concerns.

Thank you for being a part of Literacy Kansas City. We couldn’t do what we do without you!

Best,

Gillian Helm
Director of Programs
Literacy Kansas City
816.333.9332
ghelm@literacykc.org

Literacy for all.