METRO EAST LITERACY PROJECT
Cause Area
- Community
- Education & Literacy
- Seniors
- Veterans & Military Families
- Women
Location
119 FAMOUS STO'Fallon, IL 62269 United States
Organization Information
Mission Statement
Functional illiteracy keeps many families trapped in intergenerational poverty, crime, drug abuse, incarceration, and low educational achievement. Fourth graders need to read well enough to learn many school subjects. Low reading skills are often a barrier to military service; getting health and financial information; and, in general, succeeding in the global, tech-driven economy. The purpose of the Metro East Literacy Project (MELP) is to offer ways to reduce functional illiteracy in our communities. We do this by focusing on families and teaching people how to read.
Description
MELP starts families off with a bag of 25 books for adults and children. We give out book bags at childcare centers, community events, and churches. The MELP Learn to Read program is aimed at helping people learn how to read or improve their reading skills. We offer tutoring free of charge. MELP’s efforts are encapsulated into Erudite Nation. It’s more than a t-shirt slogan. It’s a change in the narrative of our communities. It’s a family’s pledge to have 100 books in their home by 2025. And it's a brigade of Encouragement Team Volunteers who encourage families along their literacy journey. Finally, Erudite Nation is a mindset that understands that Literacy is Liberation! It Takes You Higher.