The primary fundraiser for Adult Literacy Barrow, Inc. is the “Literacy Ball, a Novel Affair,” a black tie optional event held in January of each year. The Literacy Ball is planned and promoted by the Literacy Ball Planning Committee, a group of community volunteers. (Read on!)
Barrow County was one of the first communities in Georgia to become a Certified Literate Community under the Georgia Certified Literate Community Program (CLCP). In 1990, the State of Georgia started the CLCP as a “means of combating the problems of low literacy” in the State. The program was placed under the Office of Adult Education at the Technical College System of Georgia (TSG). The mission of the Certified Literate Community Program is to mobilize every resource available to a community into a literacy campaign that functions within state certification guidelines and will result in a literate community. To mobilize these efforts, each Certified Literate Community established a local coalition whose members represent local businesses, educators, civic groups, churches and governments. In Barrow County, this coalition is known as Adult Literacy Barrow, Inc. (ALB), a non-profit organization. ALB is operated by a volunteer Board of Directors whose primary job is to
• promote literacy (from pre-school to adult) to local businesses, industries, civic groups and others through event-oriented promotions and programs that bring public awareness and media attention to the issue.
• support the Adult Learning Program by raising funds through individual donations, annual giving campaigns, fundraisers, grants, corporate contributions and in kind resources. From these funds, tangibles such as supplies (paper, printer cartridges, etc), instructional materials needed by the teachers, GED scholarships, media promotions for public awareness, etc. The Adult Learning Center is an independent non-profit that supports adult learning in the community and supports the work of Lanier Technical College. The Adult Learning Center is located in the Wimberly Center located at 163 Martin Luther King Drive, Winder, GA 30680; phone 770-531-3361.
“The Adult Education Program is a cost-free instructional program that is specifically designed for adults who have different needs, backgrounds, and skills. Therefore, the College offers a flexible program which meets the needs of any individual wishing to participate. Three types of instruction extend from beginning reading and writing to high school completion through the General Education Development (GED) Program to English as a Second Language to American citizenship classes.” (Lanier Technical College website.) Lanier Technical College provides an annual budget to pay the salaries of the teachers, equipment and books, etc. for the benefit of GED, ESL and other adult students. When this money has been used, ALB uses the funds it raises to provide additional materials needed. ALB funds may also be used for additional teachers and to fund necessary projects such as classroom renovations, additional equipment, etc. Visit www.clcpga.org for more information about the Certified Literacy Program. Visit www.laniertech.edu for more information on the Adult Learning Program.
