Cleveland Reads

Catherine Thomas
United Way Services
1331 Euclid Ave.
Cleveland, OH 44115
Phone (216) 436-2223
FAX: (216) 436-2252
cthomas@uws.org

Year Incorporated

1986

Vision and/or Mission

To improve the quality of life by promoting literacy efforts and community involvement.

History

Cleveland Reads, formerly called the Greater Cleveland Literacy Coalition, began operating as a direct response to community and corporate leaders' recommendation to form and incorporate a coalition for literacy that could coordinate available literacy resources more efficiently.

Founding Leaders

A judge and three other prominent business leaders helped form a committee to study the state of literacy in Cleveland. Other leaders were the Cleveland Municipal School District superintendent and the Mayor of Cleveland.

Early Successes

Patricipated in the national ABC/PBS Project Literacy USA (P.L.U.S.) Campaign. Our coalition had a five minute block-out with Cleveland's major stations to identify literacy challenges and recruit learners

Established quarterly literacy forums that engaged learners, program instructors, and community volunteers.

Created a pilot GED program in partnership with the Department of Human Services and the Cleveland Heights Adult Basic and Literacy Education Program for welfare recipients, which then ran successfully in the downtown area for three years.

Developed a Literacy HOTLINE and a Directory of Literacy Services identifying the youth and adult literacy providers in the Greater Cleveland area.

Early Challenges

A community based organization (CBO) that focused on the Laubach method for the nonreader strongly objected to the coalition's formation. This agency wished to position itself as the primary literacy resource in Greater Cleveland and opposed the implementation of the coalition. Although the organization's director was on the coalition's Board, and even chaired the Program Committee, the relationship remained highly competitive. In order to alleviate similar issues in the future among other literacy providers, the Board of Directors determined that there would not be any direct services provided by the coalition. The coalition had to clearly demonstrate that it was an unbiased advocate for all literacy providers, working beyond the boundaries of any one institution.

After a rather heady beginning, the coalition found itself with diminishing funds and limited staff. The P.L.U.S. Campaign demonstrated the impact of limited staffing. Even though the complementary block-out of the local TV stations resulted in an overall success, staff was unable to adequately field the many calls and provide appropriate follow-through for an evaluation. It was not tried again, and the momentum for continuous awareness was lost. · The limited funds resulted in a merger with United Ways Services in 1992. This was a very positive event, and Cleveland Reads has been with United Way Services since.

Turning Point

Cleveland Reads applied for and received a $50,000 grant in 1998 for an America Reads Challenge project to research and implement effective tutoring strategies to assist children in the primary grades. This research evolved into youth program development, new approaches for training tutors, and family literacy. The coalition was energized and broadened its focus to include both youth and adult literacy support.
Another turning point occurred in its relationship with literacy organizations. Cleveland Reads set up a Professional Advisory Council (PAC), made up of literacy providers in the Greater Cleveland area. Three of its members, representing youth, community based organizations, and adult basic and literacy education programs, sit on the Cleveland Reads Board of Trustees. The PAC concentrates exclusively on the enhancement of programming and services.

Current Size

45 organizations encompassing 220 sites belong to the Professional Advisory Council.

Eight paid staff: executive director; coordinator of literacy services; administrative associate; accountant/grant writer; and a four-member research and training team.

$320,000 budget.

Offices provided in the United Way Services headquarters.

Recent Accomplishments

Created a listserv for members.

Enhanced corporate/school partnerships and philanthropic/school partnerships through tutor training sessions and structured programming.

Produced and disseminated tutor/teacher training kits.

Run parent literacy workshops that explain and demonstrate school standards.

Conduct special events, such as a Volunteer Recognition Reception and Learner Event.

Next Steps - Managerial

Build the board and committees. We have a board made up of corporate leaders, community members, literacy directors, government representatives and media - but the commitment to strengthening our organization isn't always there.

Redo the strategic plan.

Increase funding.

Next Steps - Programmatic

Grow in the community as a critical resource for tutor training and program development.

Address the full literacy gamut from preschool literacy to adultliteracy.

Advice to Other Coalitions

There is a fine line between service provider and literacy coalition. We have found that it is critical to win the trust of the literacy agencies under our umbrella because they may be seeking some of the same funding. Our reputation depends upon providing resources to these agencies that they might not have otherwise. All of our efforts go to providing programs that which they cannot develop themselves.

Last Updated

April 2001