First Literacy, Inc. Information

MISSION: First Literacy opens life-changing educational opportunities for adults and their families. Literacy, functional English skills, and high school credentials are essential in our society. We increase literacy by: -Making grants to neighborhood literacy programs -Providing technical assistance to literacy providers and other funders -Awarding First Literacy Scholarships to adults continuing on to college -Developing special projects that fill unmet literacy needs -Educating people about the benefits of a fully literate society. HISTORY: Created in 1988 as the Boston Adult Literacy Fund by a group of corporate and community leaders, we became First Literacy on our 20th anniversary. The name First Literacy expresses our broader geographical presence, our support of children’s and family literacy, and the greater sphere of our activities. We have deep community roots that allow us to: improve families’ literacy and English skills, help adults achieve their high school credentials, and support graduates who want to attend college. Since First Literacy was created, -We have helped 42,000+ adults improve their lives and their children’s futures by achieving their educational goals. -We have invested over $5,000,000 of private funds in literacy efforts. -We have given thousands of hours of free technical assistance to literacy programs. -We have raised awareness about the pivotal role of literacy in our society.