According to the Tennessee Literacy Coalition, 18 million adults in the United States do not read well enough to earn a living wage. In the U.S., 30 million people over age 16 — 14% of the country’s adult population — do not read well enough to understand a newspaper story written at the eighth grade level or to fill out a job application. Low literacy costs the United States $225 billion or more each year in non-productivity in the workforce, crime, and loss of tax revenue due to unemployment. 44 million adults in the United States are unable to even read a simple story to a child.
Every day in Jackson, someone is turned away from a job opening due to lack of education and job skills. Local statistics on the undereducated and under-skilled population demonstrate a severe need for resources which can prepare people for employment, thus alleviating poverty.
RIFA offers free adult reading classes to help meet those needs. Classes will resume February 27 and will be held Mondays and Wednesdays from noon to 1pm in the RIFA Life Enrichment Center located at 121 College Street across from the West TN Farmer’s Market. RIFA is a local Christian non-profit organization which addresses the needs of the disadvantaged through the RIFA Soup Kitchen, Thrift Store, Food Bank, Snack Backpack program and emergency relief services.
Volunteers are needed to work with adult learners. Volunteer tutors work with students two hours each week to improve their reading and basic math skills. Training is provided. Anyone interested in volunteering as a tutor or enrolling in adult reading classes can contact Jenni Thorn at RIFA at 427-7963 or jenni@rifarifa.org
Every day in Jackson, someone is turned away from a job opening due to lack of education and job skills. Local statistics on the undereducated and under-skilled population demonstrate a severe need for resources which can prepare people for employment, thus alleviating poverty.
RIFA offers free adult reading classes to help meet those needs. Classes will resume February 27 and will be held Mondays and Wednesdays from noon to 1pm in the RIFA Life Enrichment Center located at 121 College Street across from the West TN Farmer’s Market. RIFA is a local Christian non-profit organization which addresses the needs of the disadvantaged through the RIFA Soup Kitchen, Thrift Store, Food Bank, Snack Backpack program and emergency relief services.
Volunteers are needed to work with adult learners. Volunteer tutors work with students two hours each week to improve their reading and basic math skills. Training is provided. Anyone interested in volunteering as a tutor or enrolling in adult reading classes can contact Jenni Thorn at RIFA at 427-7963 or jenni@rifarifa.org
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