Literacy New York was founded on a vision and mission to serve adults and families most in need of literacy services.
Specifically, the Literacy New York mission is to increase the effectiveness of adult literacy practitioners and the capacity of programs so that adults, families, and communities reach their full potential.
The overarching vision that drives all of our work is that:
In New York State and beyond, innovative adult literacy programs collaborate to meet the literacy needs of adult students in their communities.
Literacy New York (LNY) recently announced that the Janice Cuddahee Tutor Support Program, a project of the Janice Cuddahee Fund, will underwrite the cost of 70 tutor training workshops for qualified adult literacy providers during 2021.
Read MoreIn December 2020, the National Coalition for Literacy and the Open Door Collective submitted a memo to the Biden-Harris Transition Team highlighting recommendations for policy shifts in adult education that would support the incoming administration's "build-back-better" priorities of economic recovery and racial equity.
Read MoreLiteracy New York wishes a Happy New Year to all as we move from a very trying 2020 to a hopeful 2021. We commend the adult learners, tutors, teachers, and program staff who "advanced adult literacy" against all odds this past year.
Read More40%of low-skilled Americans
have earnings in the bottom
On average, a
High School Graduate Lives 6 to 9yrs
In the last 30yrs
workers without a High School
Degree experienced an
Our colleagues at ProLiteracy have published their 2019-20 Annual Statistical Report, based on member surveys conducted within their adult literacy cohort.
ProLiteracy uses this valuable data to advocate nationally on behalf of its member organizations, and encourages programs to use the data for local advocacy, awareness, and fundraising efforts. Great information for the field!
Read MoreCalling for "bold actions to reshape New York's labor market" in light of both persistent labor market issues and the global COVID-19 pandemic. The report offers specific action steps with immediate, short, and long term actions that "urge a collaborative approach to enable business leaders,workforce experts and providers, labor unions, postsecondary institutions, among others to tackle this work together." It is a comprehensive document that can be a resource as we move forward. Take a look!
Read MoreFounded in September 2019, the Janice Cuddahee Fund honors the memory of a literacy advocate who enjoyed a long career with Literacy New York (LNY), culminating in her leading the organization as Executive Director. Janice Cuddahee's lifetime of service to LNY made our New York network the best in the nation. Janice was, as so many have said, a literacy warrior. She fought for literacy learners; she fought for the role of well-trained volunteers in adult education; she fought for NY State funding; and she fought for increased public awareness of low-level adult literacy in our state and across the nation. Sadly, we lost Janice to cancer in April, 2019.