About Friends of Literacy

Since 1991 Friends of Literacy has been the voice of the illiterate. No other independent agency is actively involved in promoting and supporting academically based, state funded adult literacy programs within our county.

Friends of Literacy is:

Private (not government operated)
Independent (not part of a school system)
Not-for-Profit
Local (Serving only Knox County)
Governed by a volunteer board of local corporate and community leaders
Is supported by members (individual and corporate donations)
Supported by local, regional, state, and national foundations and granting agencies

We support programs that offer year-round daytime and evening adult education classes. Historically we have concentrated our efforts on support of programs that provide service to the lowest literacy levels. In 2004 we raised our criteria to include National Reporting System Level IV. In effect, we provide support to adult students from non-readers to those who function at the equivalent of the eighth-grade.

An example of this support was our direction from 1991 through 2003 of a program known as "Mom, Dad, and Me." This program was funded by a Barbara Bush Even Start grant directed at providing a full service program for adults who were functionally illiterate. The program included day care, pre-school classes, adult education classes, and adult life-skills classes as well as breakfast, lunch, and transportation.

Most of our funding goes to salary support for teachers. Funds from granting agencies and foundations are usually restricted and cannot be used for salary support. The amount paid to teachers varies from program to program.

In 1999, Friends of Literacy became a United Way agency and have had continuous support since. United Way of Greater Knoxville provides funds for adult literacy classes and a volunteer program.

For the last three years the programs supported by Friends of Literacy have served more than 1,000 adult students each year with a significant portion of that number initially testing at the sixth grade level or below. The results of these programs are quite impressive.

More Information

Mission Statement
Vision Statement
Core Values
Definition Of Literacy
National Literacy Quick Facts
Local Literacy Quick Facts
The Problem
The Challenge
Results Of Our Work