Thank YOU for Helping Us Reach Our Goal!
$26,464 of $25,000 raised 155 donors
Welcome to A Taste of Literacy 2020!
LCNV's FIRST VIRTUAL EVENT
As you can imagine, the present crisis only highlights the importance of language education for learners who often work in unskilled and low wage jobs. 80% of LCNV's learners live below 200% of the federal poverty line and represent many of those who are out of work or who are required to be at work without resources for health or childcare. Be our guest as you hear the important accounts of the challenges and accomplishments experienced by families and adults who are not able to read, write or speak in English.
WELCOME FROM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ROOPAL SARAN
What Your Donations Will Make Possible
A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF LCNV's BOARD OF DIRECTORS, ANUPAM KUMAR
LCNV Recognized in the Community
"The Crimsonbridge Foundation is proud to support LCNV's great work, which is transforming lives, businesses, and communities through education. The team's expertise and positive impact through its innovative partnerships is laudable!"
- Caitlin Mayo, Program Officer at Crimsonbridge Foundation
MORE ABOUT OUR STUDENTS AND HOW WE SUPPORT THEM
Most of our learners struggle to get by with little to no English-language skills and limited economic opportunities. Through LCNV, adults learn to speak, read, and write English, empowering them to make measurable improvements in their lives and the lives of their families.
Click on the infographic to see it full screen!
STORIES FROM OUR CLASSROOM
Vaishali Deshpande
Vaishali has been a part of LCNV’s Destination Workforce® program, teaching Intensive English and Workforce Readiness classes to adult English language learners for more than 3 years. Dedicated, insightful, and inspiring, she was awarded the Virginia Association for Adult and Continuing Education (VAACE) Volunteer of the Year 2019. Learn more about Vaishali's contribution and award.
Sajida
"I believe that a good teacher helps people to become a good person in the community, so I want to be a good teacher myself one day in the future," says Sajida.
When she came to the United States four years ago, Sajida felt very lost. After taking classes with LCNV for two years, she is now not only able to communicate freely with others, but also proudly volunteers as a class aide with LCNV! Strong, loving, and resilient, Sajida wants to succeed in what she does and pass on the kindness she has received during her stay in the U.S.
* To respect Sajida's wishes, her speech will only be played as audio.
SUPPORTING THE COMMUNITY WITH LITERACY AND SKILLS
"Fortunately, I decided to study English. My fears and frustrations are finished. I have big dreams and I work hard so that my dreams come true. Now I feel happy, free, sure of myself, and more confident"
-Francisca, LCNV Student
Beginning English Language and Literacy Class
Family Learning Program
Conversation and Writing Class
Destination Workforce®
LCNV serves adult learners through multiple programs to best serve their needs based on their life goals. LCNV offers Beginning English classes, Family Learning Programs (FLP), Skills-based classes, and Destination Workforce® classes. The classroom-based programs provide instruction in a workplace and life-skills context. FLP curriculum emphasizes the needs of parents with school-aged children, engaging families in activities that help parents develop their English and reinforce what their children are learning in school. Skills-based classes help fill learning gaps by focusing on single areas such as writing or conversation. Destination Workforce®, LCNV’s workplace program, offers classes in partnership with local businesses and organizations where English Language Learners can learn industry-specific vocabulary skills, workplace soft-skills, and earn credentials to help them advance in their careers. Destination Workforce® also offers classes for those interested in food service, hospitality, and/or customer service jobs. LCNV further provides personalized support with Supplemental Tutors to help LCNV learners with classwork and Student Advisors who are assigned to individual learners to provide guidance towards goals, next steps and transitions. LCNV also has a Facebook group for its alumni entitled “LCNV's Learner Network,” where current and former students and teachers can interact, share stories, and hear about opportunities to continue learning. Click here to learn more about our programs.
Mission
The mission of the Literacy Council of Northern Virginia (LCNV) is to teach adults the basic skills of reading, writing, speaking, and understanding English so they can access employment and educational opportunities and more fully and equitably participate in the community.
Vision
A community empowered by the ability to read, write, speak, and understand English.
Values
Learner-Focus: Keep our learners’ best interests in mind.
Respect: Treat all persons with dignity and embrace and celebrate one another’s differences and cultural backgrounds.
Innovation: Remain at the cutting edge of best practices and implement evidence-based programs that enhance learning.
Excellence: Strive to be the best at what we do.
Collaboration: Recognize that by working together, we can do more to achieve common goals.
Integrity: Be honest and sincere in all interactions.
Last year, 15 staff members worked with more than 600 trained volunteers who gave 21,132 hours of service valued at $581,121.
As the backbone of our programs and operations, volunteers provide firm support to LCNV by delivering instruction in the classroom, assisting with learner assessments, promoting LCNV in the community, and providing countless other essential services. LCNV held more than 10 trainings last year for more than 200 participants, including volunteers and other stakeholders.
Interested in volunteering with us? Click here to find out more!
STORIES FROM OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH JOSÉ ANDRÉS' THINK FOOD GROUP
"I’m Donna Giarratana, HR Manager at José Andrés’ Think Food Group, and let me tell you – I am a fan of this organization! When I first met the LCNV team and their Destination Workforce® program, I thought: this is it. This is exactly what we at ThinkFoodGroup have been looking for. With LCNV, we found a program willing to work with us on our terms – at the time that worked best for our team and covering topics that mattered for their work.
I am so grateful to the LCNV team for providing the program I’ve always wanted to see at Think Food Group. All I can say is that we need more. This program is so needed in the restaurant industry where people can find themselves in the same low-wage role for decades! I’m deeply proud of our partnership and hope you’ll support LCNV."
Donna Giarratana, HR Manager at José Andrés’ Think Food Group
Read the full letter here.
Claire Kevill
"I have the BEST job in the world!" Claire Kevill, LCNV's instructor for our class at ThinkFoodGroup, shares her thoughts on teaching with LCNV. Watch her speech with transcript here.
Jaime
With English proficiency, Jaime is not only able to better help customers at work, have deeper communication with the American side of his family, but more importantly, he no longer needs to follow others to find his way. Watch Jaime's speech with transcript here.
“The Destination Workforce® program built confidence in our team members, enabled them to communicate better with our guests, and increased their workplace satisfaction. We promoted one team member who has since completed corporate training in English, and another who has become a super star and was recently awarded the Team Member of the Month! It was time well spent and we would do it again in a heartbeat!”
- Soo Kim, Assistant General Manager, DoubleTree by Hilton McLean Tysons Corner
A MESSAGE FROM JENNIFER GALLOWAY, LCNV FUND DEVELOPMENT CHAIR
"I would like to thank all those who made this event possible: the incredible LCNV staff who transformed this event in just over two weeks; Vaishali and Sajida, Donna, Claire and Jaime for sharing their amazing stories; my fellow board members for their wonderful support; all our generous sponsors; and of course YOU!
With your support LCNV can continue to aid this most vulnerable population—those that understand little to no English. The ability of our neighbors to earn a living wage, care for their families, and become more active members of our community depends on their ability to read, write, speak and understand English. "
Sponsors
THANK YOU FOR MAKING THIS VIRTUAL EVENT POSSIBLE!
Anthem HealthKeepers Plus | Acumen Solutions | Bob’s Discount Furniture | Cell-Ed | Double Tree by Hilton McLean Tysons Corner | KIHOMAC, Inc. | Sikich LLP
Accenture | Amanda G's Vacations | The Boston Consulting Group | Chain Bridge Bank | Day and Night Printing | John and Eunice Thomas | José Andrés' Think Food Group | Tom and Laura Gilbride | McLaughlin Ryder Investments | RL Accounting | RX-IT | UnitedHealthcare | Wiley Rein LLP | Wolcott Hill Group