Woman's Club shines spotlight on literacy

VERNON — The GFWC Vernon Township Woman's Club frequently features speakers at its monthly meetings from nonprofit and social service agencies, in an effort to educate the public and to discover new opportunities for the Club to provide services and assistance.

Literacy was the topic at a recent meeting, with a presentation by Carol Wilson, the Sussex County Programs Community Board President for Literacy New Jersey.

Wilson explained that Literacy New Jersey recruits and trains individuals who tutor adults on a one-to-one basis to improve their language and literacy skills, and ultimately help them achieve their life goals. Students of the program have succeeded in finding jobs, earning GEDs, and being able to read to their children for the first time. Available in every county in the state, instruction includes basic literacy and English as a Second Language, which are incorporated into reading, speaking and math skills.

Accompanying Wilson at the Woman's Club meeting was a client of the agency, who could not speak English upon arrival in the United States. After weekly tutoring with a volunteer from Literacy New Jersey, the client now speaks the language very well and recently became a U.S. citizen. Literacy New Jersey has offices in eight locations throughout the state, including Newton, 973-300-9444.