THE SUPPORTERS WHO MAKE OUR MISSION POSSIBLE

Adult learners and the educators who support them have great expectations of themselves and their education, and without our donors we wouldn’t be able to help them meet and exceed their goals. The generosity of our donors allows us to continue to support and uplift adult learners and the educators who support them. Through free professional development workshops for educators, scholarships for adult learners, and grants for innovative new programs we are making great expectations possible.

Why Edward Believes Literacy Is Essential

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Pictured on the left is Donato Corbosiero (Edward’s Paternal Grandfather). On the right is Emilio and Francesca Ghilani (Edward’s Maternal Grandparents).

Edward has been a First Literacy donor for over 20 years. Supporting First Literacy is a priority for him as literacy had a significant impact on his grandparents and holds a special meaning for him and his family.

Edward’s paternal grandfather grew up in a small farming village in Italy. He was one of the few people in the village who could read and write. People in the village would bring letters to him to help them read the messages. While he only had six years of education, literacy skills gave him the ability to rise in the ranks in the Italian Army.

Edward’s maternal grandfather had a different story. Unable to read and write in Italian or English, he found signing his name on a document to be a daunting and anxiety provoking task. When he immigrated to the United States with his wife, their lives were greatly impacted by a woman in their neighborhood who developed her own classes to teach the Italian women in the community how to read and write. With little schooling Edward’s grandmother learned to read and write, transforming her life and how she was able to provide for and support her family.

The stories shared by Edward’s grandparents have stuck with him through the years and have driven home how important adult literacy is and how empowering it can be.

“No matter what language you read and write in there is so much you miss if you don’t have the ability to read and write. Literacy helps you live life to full measure.”

His grandparents’ experiences and the teachers who support adult learners inspire Edward to keep donating to First Literacy year after year. Education and literacy, to him, are pillars of a successful democracy. He believes that everything First Literacy offers – from workshops, to scholarships, to grants – are important to improve adult literacy.

Literacy is a tool you will have your whole life and it can’t be taken away.

First Literacy is grateful for the support that Edward and all our donors give us to help adult learners achieve their great expectations.

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