Donors are the backbone of the First Literacy community, providing the essential support needed to fund innovative classroom concepts, provide professional development to adult educators, and offer scholarships directly to adult learners.
Monthly Donors Provide Consistent Support to First Literacy
A long-standing friendship with Executive Director, Terry Witherell, led monthly donor Mike Boutin to First Literacy. In Mike’s words, “First Literacy aligns well with my own professional work: I am an Assistant Dean for Faculty and Student Success at the MGH Institute of Health Professions, where I work with students in the rehabilitation sciences, like speech language pathology and literacy.”
Mike’s donations to First Literacy began six years ago; over time, his small monthly gifts have accumulated to a sum that funds in excess of one scholarship for an adult learner to attend a higher education program. Monthly donors like Mike provide a regular source of income for First Literacy and support First Literacy efforts to fund innovation in adult literacy to change lives.
“Reading is such a gift in the world. It opens up minds to new ideas, it builds bridges, feeds imaginations, and cultivates innovation, collaboration, and friendships. The idea that in our country, with all of its resources and wealth, that there are still adults who can’t read, seems insane and incredibly unjust.”
Many First Literacy donors have given modestly and consistently for years and, while donations of all sizes are appreciated, all amounts make a difference. Mike “wanted to be a change agent in some small way” and in addition to his monthly gifts, he has attended events in his community and led a score of First Literacy Professional Development workshops in Persistence and Resilience, Coaching Skills, Mental Health First Aid, and Wellness for Educators.
First Literacy celebrates and appreciates members of our community, like Mike Boutin, who support our organization across various avenues. Without your help, First Literacy would be unable to provide free Professional Development Workshops for adult educators, grants that fund innovative classroom concepts in your community, and scholarships for adult students to further their education.