In this episode, host Janet Zahn welcomes Dr. Wendy Falb, Ph.D., the Executive Director of the Literacy Center of West Michigan.

The Literacy Center of West Michigan was founded in 1986 by educators and librarians, and today is the largest community-based organization in Michigan… and one of the largest in the country dedicated solely to adult literacy and learning.

The Literacy Center works locally to remove literacy as a barrier to employment, healthcare, housing, and parent engagement.    Its mission is to bring about a just and vibrant West Michigan through the power of literacy.

Literacy by the numbers:

--The Literacy Center serves nearly 1,300 learners annually.

--85,000 adults read below the 4th grade level in Kent County.

--7,500 classroom instructional hours taught by certified staff.

--More than 8,000 hours contributed by volunteer literacy coaches in 1-on-1 tutoring.  

Online: Literacy of West Michigan