The Literacy Cooperative receives $259,971 grant to fund second year of NEO Literacy Corps

The Literacy Cooperative has been awarded a $259,971 continuation grant from the Ohio Community Service Council (OCSC) that, along with an additional $145,000 raised through host site contributions, will allow the Literacy Cooperative to fund a second year of the NEO Literacy Corps (2011-2012).

The NEO Literacy Corps is an AmeriCorps program possible through a series of community partnerships. Through NEO Literacy Corps, AmeriCorps volunteers can serve in direct service or volunteer coordination roles; working directly with literacy clients or recruiting, training and managing literacy volunteers at their host organizations.   University Settlement Inc. is The Literacy Cooperative’s implementation partner for NEO Literacy Corps, responsible for day-to-day operations of the program.  The Literacy Cooperative administers NEO Literacy Corps as a part of its Capacity Building Initiatives. 

The OCSC funding will support recruitment, training and placement of a new class of skilled, stipended volunteers, who will spend a full year of service at local organizations offering a broad range of literacy services. 

Beginning in the fall, sixteen full-time and eight part-time volunteers will begin their service year at the following organizations:

• Achievement Centers for Children
• ASIA Inc.
• Bellaire Puritas Development Corporation 
• Building Hope in the City
• Cleveland Housing Network
• Enhancement Ministries
• Family Connections
• Greater Cleveland Volunteers
• Jewish Community Federation
• Lexington Bell Community Center
• Lutheran Metropolitan Ministries/2100 Lakeside Men’s Homeless Shelter
• St. Malachi Center
• Thea Bowman Center
• Towards Employment
• Union Miles Development Corporation
• University Settlement Inc.
• WECO Fund
• West Side Catholic Center

The goal of NEO Literacy Corps is to provide additional support for nonprofit organizations working to improve the literacy levels and skills of Cuyahoga County residents so that they can meet growing demand for services.  Through NEO Literacy Corps, The Literacy Cooperative is helping to:

• Increase capacity for literacy service delivery within nonprofit organizations;
• Contribute to local human and workforce development, as local AmeriCorps volunteers develop and hone skills for future job opportunities; and
• Mobilize residents to support local efforts to improve low literacy levels in the region

To date, NEO Literacy Corps has served 312 children in early literacy programs, tutored 729 children in area schools, served 1,238 adults in adult, health and financial literacy programs, and recruited 524 volunteers for literacy (4,852 tutor hours served).  NEO Literacy Corps is helping organizations to expand their literacy service reach; offering new programs and serving more clients.

The 2010 – 2011 program activities of NEO Literacy Corps are funded by OCSC and the following area foundations: Bruening Foundation, The Cleveland Foundation, Charter One Bank Foundation, Key Bank Foundation and Third Federal Foundation.   Grants from the George Gund and Martha Holden Jennings Foundations support operational activities of NEO Literacy Corps.