Resolve to Change a Life in 2023: Become a Literacy Volunteer!

December 12, 2022January 12, 2023commdclc

DCLC Press Release
December 12, 2022

As 2023 approaches, why not resolve to help others improve their lives by becoming a volunteer literacy tutor or volunteer classroom aide with Delaware County Literacy Council (DCLC)?

Volunteering your time, knowledge, and energy to help an adult improve his or her basic skills can be an uplifting and meaningful experience. Volunteer tutors provide one-on-one literacy tutoring to adults in either Adult Basic Education (ABE) or English as a Second Language (ESL). Volunteer classroom aides work with one of DCLC’s instructors, usually in an online class, to help adult ABE or ESL students with guided practice, projects, and other learning activities. Online and in-person volunteering options are available.

Volunteering with adult literacy students not only results in gratifying personal rewards, but it also helps strengthen the entire community.

Just ask Volunteer ESL Tutor Philip Sheau (on right in photo), who tutors Lawrence Adedipe online (on left). When Lawrence declared that he was interested in becoming a U.S. citizen, Philip started using the 100 study questions found on the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website in their lessons. When Lawrence seemed ready to take the test, Philip encouraged him and mentioned the value of being a citizen in time to vote in the November elections.

Lawrence seemed noncommittal. But then in September 2022, Lawrence surprised his tutor with the news that he had passed the citizenship test. Lawrence invited Philip to the swearing-in ceremony in Philadelphia.

Said Philip, “It was an absolute surprise to me, and I felt much joy and happiness for him as well as a sense of accomplishment for both Lawrence and me.”

Volunteer tutors meet their adult students twice a week at a mutually convenient time, either online or in a public place such as a local library. DCLC provides free training to volunteer tutors and volunteer classroom aides, as well as free tutoring materials and ongoing support. Volunteer tutors and classroom aides do not need to know a language other than English, and no previous teaching or tutoring experience is required.

Founded in 1975, Delaware County Literacy Council (DCLC) provides free literacy services to local adults, including online and in-person classes and tutoring in basic adult literacy (reading, writing, and math), ESL, GED preparation, and digital skills. DCLC also offers free career services to help adults obtain full-time work.

If you have patience, compassion for others, and a lifelong love of learning, consider sharing your talents by becoming a volunteer tutor or classroom aide in the coming year. For additional information about training dates, the application process, and volunteer expectations, visit www.delcoliteracy.org/volunteer . Make this your year of service and commitment. Become a literacy volunteer!

DCLC News & Notes, November/December 2022

November 25, 2022January 12, 2023commdclc

See the November/December 2022 issue of DCLC News & Notes here.

Delaware County Literacy Council Celebrates GED Grads and Other High-Achieving Adult Students

October 15, 2022November 3, 2022commdclc

DCLC Press Release
October 6, 2022

Adults who earned their GED with Delaware County Literacy Council (DCLC) in 2020, 2021, or 2022 were honored at a special Student Recognition Ceremony at the Delaware County Intermediate Unit on September 26, 2022. The ceremony also recognized DCLC students who became U.S. citizens, who completed Home Health Aide training, and who won essay contests.

Students with achievements in 2020 and 2021 were honored because DCLC was not able to hold in-person celebrations during those years.

Nicole Zampitella of Clifton Heights, Larissa Reason of Marcus Hook, and Adrian Buffalo of Lansdowne celebrate at the Student Recognition Ceremony held by Delaware County Literacy Council (DCLC). They were three of the eleven adults who earned their GED with DCLC in the 2020 to 2022 program years.

Melis May Sagay, who recently became a U.S. citizen, was the student speaker for the event. She told the guests “I immigrated to America in 2016. I was a green card winner. My son was 2 years old, I was 39, my husband was 40. We spent more than half of our lives in another country. I made a choice; it was not easy; it still is not. But I have never regretted making this choice.” She went on to explain, “America gave us hope that we can do anything, it supported us. …This change made me stronger.”

Kate McGeever, Executive Director of the Delaware County Workforce Development Board, delivered the keynote address, which focused on gratitude. She offered thanks to the children and other loved ones who supported the adult student in their life. She also showered gratitude on the adult students themselves, saying, “I am going to thank you for that first day you walked through those doors at the Literacy Council and said out loud ‘I have a goal’…and for all of the hours that followed.”

Pat Gunnin, Executive Director of DCLC, acknowledged the students’ dedication—even through the pandemic—by declaring, “You can’t stop a dream!” and encouraged students to make their latest accomplishment a first step, telling them, “Don’t stop here!”

Jenn Kacimi, DCLC Director of Curriculum and Instruction, wrapped up the proceedings by telling the adult students, “I am honored to have been part of your journey with Delaware County Literacy Council. Your achievements and perseverance are an inspiration to us all!

Several elected officials representing Delaware County or their staff members attended the celebration, including PA Senator John Kane, Sarah McCullough of PA Senator Tim Kearney’s office, Dana Carter of PA Senator Anthony Williams’ office, PA Representative Gina Curry, and PA Representative Mike Zabel.

Delaware County Literacy Council (DCLC) provides free literacy services to local adults, including online and in-person classes in basic adult literacy, ESL, GED preparation, and digital skills, as well as career services that help people obtain full-time work. To learn more or to get involved, visit https://delcoliteracy.org.

Delaware County Literacy CouncilReceives Generous DCIGRA Grant to Promote Services

September 30, 2022commdclc

DCLC Press Release
September 28, 2022

Delaware County Literacy Council (DCLC) received a generous grant from the Delaware County Interactive Gaming Revenue Authority (DCIGRA) to help promote its free programs and services.

A check representing the $25,000.00 grant was presented to DCLC Executive Director Pat Gunnin and members of DCLC’s board of directors and staff on Thursday, September 22, 2022.

DCIGRA Board Chair Paul K. Johnson said the grant would help DCLC with “local marketing efforts to promote literacy services and resources.”

DCLC Executive Director Pat Gunnin expressed gratitude for the generous grant, saying, “This will really help us reach every corner of Delaware County so that adults needing our services will learn about us and get the help they need.”

Caption for photo: Paul K. Johnson, Board Chair of the Delaware County Interactive Gaming Revenue Authority (DCIGRA) [back row, fifth from left], and Stefan Roots, DCIGRA Board Member (back row, fourth from left), present Delaware County Literacy Council (DCLC) staff and board members with a symbolic check representing the recent $25,000.00 grant to help DCLC promote its free services and programs within the community. Shown in photo, front row, left to right: DCLC Staff Members Jennifer LaPorte, Marvis Daniel, Wazhma Pal, Kiera Morales, and Elaine Herbert; back row, left to right: DCLC Board Member Peter Matthews, DCLC Staff Member Deb Charley, DCLC Board Member Rick Durante, DCIGRA Board Member Stefan Roots, DCIGRA Board Chair Paul K. Johnson, DCLC Executive Director Pat Gunnin, DCLC Board Member Nichole Kistler, and DCLC Staff Member Chandra Waters.

DCLC News & Notes, Summer 2022

July 18, 2022August 4, 2022commdclc

See the Summer 2022 issue of DCLC News & Notes here.

Immigrant Who Helps Immigrants Wins Essay Contest

July 6, 2022July 11, 2022commdclc

DCLC Press Release
July 1, 2022

“I became an immigrant at the age of 40,” explains Melis May Sagay in her winning “People Helping People” essay. She adds, “Many people like me are not ready to become immigrants. That’s why I decided to help them.”

Student with award — *DCLC student Melis May Sagay of Drexel Hill won $200 in Sun East Federal Credit Union’s “People Helping People” essay contest.*

Melis created an informal network of friends and social media contacts to offer advice and household goods to newly arriving immigrants. As an English as a Second Language (ESL) student at Delaware County Literacy Council, Melis had the opportunity to write about her efforts in an essay for the “People Helping People” contest, sponsored by Sun East Federal Credit Union.

The “People Helping People” contest asks students to write about volunteering and its impact on their life. Sun East Federal Credit Union provides a generous $200 prize to the writer of the winning essay.

In her essay, Melis describes her goal of helping new immigrants “transition from country to country.” Because immigrants often arrive with only a few suitcases, they may need many household items to begin their new life. Providing child car seats, child beds, toys, and clothes can smooth their path. Melis knew she had limited resources to help on her own, so she thought that others might want to be involved. “I was not in a position to help more than one person by myself. But I had a good circle of friends and organizational skills. I encouraged my friends to help.”

Melis’s immigrant network was born. She makes sure that all donated items are in good condition. “There have been some who donated unacceptably old items. Most of the immigrants receiving help were educated, respected in their country, and none of them were poor. They were just immigrants,” states Melis.

One person who hailed from Melis’s home country of Turkey needed help finding housing in the Philadelphia area during the pandemic. Melis wrote to the person and provided advice about locating an apartment, even meeting with the person to show them around.

Describing the impact of helping others, Melis puts it this way, “If the toy I give to an immigrant child makes him happy, if an immigrant woman cooks in the pot I gave her family, then I have achieved my goal. Sharing goodness will save the world.”

Delaware County Literacy Council (DCLC) provides free literacy services to local adults, including online and in-person classes in basic literacy, ESL, and GED preparation. To learn more or to get involved, visit www.delcoliteracy.org.

Literacy Council’s New Flags Highlight Free Services

March 21, 2022commdclc

Press Release of March 18, 2022

Delaware County Literacy Council (DCLC) recently added some new flags to its front lawn on Providence Avenue in Chester to spread the word about the free services they offer to local adults.

As broadcast by these colorful banners, DCLC’s website—delcoliteracy.org—is the best place learn about the many free classes and the employment help offered by the Literacy Council. Many of DCLC’s classes have moved online since the pandemic, and the DCLC building is open by appointment only, so the website is an important hub of information about DCLC’s offerings.

Delaware County Literacy Council (DCLC) is putting its message of free classes and employment services for adults on display for all to see with a set of new feather banners on their front lawn in Chester. To learn more about DCLC’s free programs, visit https://delcoliteracy.org.

For example, Adults can take free classes in GED preparation, basic literacy, and English as a Second Language (ESL), or work with a volunteer tutor in those areas. Remote and in-person options are available. Interested adults can enroll for an upcoming session by filling out an interest form at https://bit.ly/DCLC-learn

Another option for adult learners is a free civics-focused ESL class that covers a variety of civics topics, including citizenship, government, geography, taxes, healthcare, and more, with opportunities for students to accelerate quickly and move into free Home Health Aide (HHA) training or GED classes. Immigrants interested in the program can complete an interest form at https://bit.ly/DCLC-NAc

DCLC also offers free job-search help to immigrants and mature workers in conjunction with the Delaware County Workforce Investment Board.

The Back to Work program provides free job-search help to Delaware County residents age 40 and over who have received Unemployment Compensation in the last year and who are looking for full-time work. Employment Coach Elaine Herbert guides participants through all steps of the job search, helping them find jobs that match their skills. Interested mature job-seekers can fill out an interest form at https://bit.ly/BacktoWorkDelco

The Immigrant Employment program offers free job-search help to immigrants living in Delaware County. DCLC employment coaches can help local immigrants look for jobs, complete applications, create a resume, prepare for interviews, and more. Some translation services are available. Interested immigrants can complete an interest form at https://bit.ly/Jobs-Imm

DCLC is also a great place to volunteer! Community members interested in helping a Delaware County neighbor improve his or her literacy skills, in either basic literacy or ESL, can learn about becoming a volunteer tutor at https://delcoliteracy.org/volunteer and complete an application at https://bit.ly/DCLC-VolApp

Take a tip from the flags waving on DCLC’s lawn: Learn about DCLC’s free programs and opportunities by visiting https://delcoliteracy.org.

DCLC News & Notes February/March 2022

March 11, 2022commdclc

See the February/March 2022 issue of DCLC News & Notes here.

DCLC Profile: DaVeda Graham Brings Focus on Community & Learning to DCLC Board

March 11, 2022March 11, 2022commdclc

by Sally Sapega

DaVeda Graham, a nurse practitioner who lives in Drexel Hill, recently joined the Board of Directors of Delaware County Literacy Council (DCLC). DaVeda brings a wealth of experience in healthcare and community-building to the role.

DaVeda explains why serving on DCLC’s Board seemed like a good fit: “I’m big on educating, especially in health literacy. If you’re not literate, it’s difficult to advocate for yourself or be involved with your care. DCLC is about empowerment and helping people change their lives for a better future.”

DaVeda adds, “Also, when my mom was younger, she worked at LaSalle University, running the GED programs. And I want to help further that.”

DaVeda has been a nurse for thirteen years and a nurse practitioner for the last six years. She calls nursing “a fortunate detour” in her life.

“I went to Philadelphia High School for girls and wanted to become a doctor, but I became a mom early. Twenty five years ago it was hard to be empowered when you were a single mom. Looking back, though, this turned out to be a fortunate detour for me. Nursing still kept me in the sciences and allowed me to help patients. This was exactly the path I needed to take.”

As a nurse practitioner, with formal training in primary care and public health, DaVeda is passionate about providing care for underserved populations and bridging gaps found in today’s healthcare environment.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, she saw these gaps both in Philadelphia and Delaware County. As a result of her experiences, DaVeda started Nurses United for Change and Equity, a nonprofit that focuses on disparities in healthcare, with an initial emphasis on providing COVID-19 vaccines to those in Delaware County who may not have had easy access to them.

Her first step was to get authorization as a COVID-19 vaccination provider. Next, she organized vaccination clinics at a variety of locations, including a firehouse in Drexel Hill, the Folcroft municipal building, nursing homes, and Chester High School’s football and basketball games. She is excited at the prospect of seeing her nonprofit grow and expand its reach.

DaVeda is also excited about being involved with DCLC and its mission of helping adults develop reading, writing, math and English language skills to thrive in the workplace and the community. “I have so many ideas!” says DaVeda. “I thought about having career days, showing people how to dress, how to get their resumes prepared. We could do mock interviews and talk to them about how to communicate effectively. It’s a life skill that will stay with them for the course of their careers. I’d like to become a mentor to people who have similar backgrounds to me, give them encouragement and help them get through barriers that I didn’t know about when I was younger.”

Clearly, DaVeda Graham has the drive, the empathy, and the skills to have a big impact on DCLC and its students. We welcome her to DCLC’s Board of Directors.

You also may be interested in these stories from February/March 2022 DCLC News & Notes.

—DCLC Offers Free Employment Services and Digital Literacy to Community Members
—Trauma-Informed Practices Help Adult Learners Succeed

Trauma-Informed Practices Help Adult Learners Succeed

March 11, 2022March 11, 2022commdclc

According to a recent World Education blog post, “Perhaps now more than ever, adult educators are paying attention to the impact that personal and community trauma has on adult learners’ ability to learn and pursue their goals.”

COVID-19 was a collective trauma we all experienced in the last two years—a trauma felt even more acutely by adult literacy students. As the blog post states, “Those most affected by the devastation of the pandemic are disproportionately people of color and immigrants, especially those who are women. When these adults are our students, using trauma-informed practices will increase their opportunities to learn and pursue their education and career goals. Using trauma-informed practices is an integral part of enacting our values of diversity, equity, and inclusion.”

Case Manager Wazhma Pal helps DCLC students overcome barriers to learning, which sometimes involves guiding them to resources that can address the traumas they have experienced.

“Attending classes online, managing work and family at the same time can be a real challenge for adult students,” says Wazhma. “Sometimes they struggle to find housing, which is definitely traumatic. For immigrant students, there is the trauma of adjusting to a new country with minimal to no language skills. As the DCLC case manager, I help students connect with organizations that provide services they need. Acknowledging the difficulties in a student’s life also helps them take steps to get help and recognize their own strength.”

With the help of DCLC’s Case Manager Wazhma Pal, DCLC provides literacy instruction that welcomes adult students as individuals who bring their own experiences and challenges to their studies.

You also may be interested in these stories from February/March 2022 DCLC News & Notes.

—DCLC Profile: DaVeda Graham Brings Focus on Community Learning to DCLC Board
—DCLC Offers Free Employment Services and Digital Literacy to Community Members