Mission

To unleash the power of literacy to improve lives.

What We Do

Philadelphia has more residents living in poverty, 28 percent, than any other major city besides Detroit. For a family of four, this means living on an annual income of less than $23,050.

Poverty can be directly linked to an individual’s education level. Over 200,000 adults in Philadelphia do not have a high school diploma, and many more do not have the reading, writing, math, or computer skills they need to compete for a job that pays a sustainable wage.

Center for Literacy addresses the issue of poverty and low education levels by providing free education services to adults in Philadelphia. Last year, over 30 teachers from the Center for Literacy were in classrooms at nearly 20 locations throughout the city, teaching over 1,500 students the skills they will need to enter the workforce or postsecondary education.

Currently, to best serve our community, Center for Literacy offers classes in adult basic education, English as a second language, preparation for the GED® test, and family literacy. Center for Literacy also partners with nonprofits in Philadelphia to deliver programs to other vulnerable populations, like out-of-school youth, ex-offenders, and non-custodial parents.

With free educational services from Center for Literacy and its partners, students become more apt to acquire and retain jobs, progress to postsecondary education and training programs, lift themselves out of poverty, reduce health costs, and take better care of their families.