Visiting Senator Neil Breslin's office with Literacy Volunteers of Rensselaer

Representatives of Literacy New York visited Albany on March 4th to call on elected officials to save their adult literacy classes and to advocate for increased investment in these crucial programs.

Without these classes, immigrants and other adult learners are unable to get better jobs, attend college, or participate in their children’s education. Joining Literacy New York was New York City Coalition for Adult Literacy (NYCCAL) – a collection of nonprofit community based organizations, libraries and CUNY branches that provide English language and other adult literacy programs--Assembly Members Ron Kim, Patricia Fahy and Yuh-Line Niou, Senator Jessica Ramos and a number of Senate and Assembly supporters, literacy partners from Syracuse and Albany and immigrants, adult learners, educators and their allies.  
 
These proposed cuts, coupled with changes at the Federal level, may result in thousands of students no longer able to benefit from their current educational programs. For low-income adults, the education they need as a first step to securing employment and successful entry into the job market will be less accessible. Literacy programs provide a pathway to economic mobility, social integration, parent-child engagement, improved health outcomes and improved community safety.  According to NYCCAL any action to eliminate adult literacy classes would be harmful to the individuals and families working toward self improvement.