1. Project Read –
Menlo Park
Helping to eradicate illiteracy in
our community

2.  Why Project Read matters…
100,000 Functionally Illiterate in San Mateo County
80,000
15% of the adult population in our
60,000
community lacks basic reading and
40,000 writing skills, and this figure nearly
doubled in just over a decade
20,000
-
1992 2003
Based on National Assessment of Adult Literacy sponsored by National Center for
Educational Statistics
Adult low literacy can be connected to almost every socio-
economic issue in the country (ProLiteracy Worldwide)
Project Read Menlo Park addresses these challenges through its
one-on-one tutoring, language classes, computer literacy lab
and family programs
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3.  …and why its impact is so important
43% of the people with the lowest
literacy skills live in poverty; 17%
receive food stamps, and 70% have
no job or a part-time job
(National Institute for Literacy)
And unemployment costs:
A child who grows up in a home
with at least one illiterate parent
is twice as likely to be illiterate
(Laubach Literacy Statistics)
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4.  What Project Read has accomplished…
Project Read impacts
nearly 10% of the
functionally illiterate in
our community, and
has consistently done
so despite significant
resource constraints
Over the past two years the program has:
1. Established a 501(c)(3) non-profit arm to expand its funding base and
further propagate adult & family literacy locally
2. Enhanced the families for literacy programming
3. Increased partnerships with other literacy organizations (i.e. Vision Literacy)
4. Implemented a nationally recognized learning & development framework to
improve the quality of education
5. Integrated new tools to streamline program execution
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5.  …and what we can do together
Functionally Illiterate in San Mateo County
100,000
80,000
Our goal is to help
60,000
40,000
eradicate illiteracy in our
20,000
community
-
1992 2003 2012 (F) 2023 (F)
(F) Indicates forecasted amounts
We can achieve our goal by:
1. Running the most effective programs that serve the needs of adult learners
2. Leveraging the expertise and capabilities of other local partner organizations
3. Investing in leading edge solutions to make reading and comprehension
accessible and achievable for everyone
4. Continuing to receive and expand the dedicated community support that
has made Project Read successful for more than 25 years
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6.  Your financial support is needed now…
210,000
175,000
The projected shortfall this year due to
state funding cuts can be managed
140,000
105,000
70,000
Next year’s situation is much less
35,000
certain. As of today the 2012-13 state
budget has no funds for adult literacy.
-
2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 (F) 2012-13 (F) Project Read Menlo Park may be in
Revenue Expenses jeopardy
(F) Indicates forecasted amounts
The time to act is now!
The 2012-13 budgeting cycle is underway and your support is needed
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7.  …and here is how you can help
 Donate ($$ or in-kind)
 Volunteer / Tutor
 Talk to MP city leaders about the need
to support the library and this program
 Spread the word!
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