OMYF Community Spotlight: GROWS Literacy Council
Related Images
By Josh Cohen
February 18, 2012
ORLANDO -- For families getting a fresh start in a new country and a new culture, it can be extremely difficult to adapt. Especially for the impoverished, learning new skills and gaining the necessary knowledge to succeed can be challenging.
But here in Central Florida, one organization is offering underprivileged families the opportunity to become literate and, in effect, become competent in all aspects of their lives.
GROWS Literacy Council, a non-profit community-based organization with the mission of empowering deprived men and women to read, write and speak English, has reinforced the goal of breaching the vicious cycle of unemployment, welfare and illiteracy.
And with the help of the Orlando Magic Youth Foundation, more and more families are empowered to be ambitious and reach their academic and career goals.
Recently, GROWS Literacy Council received a $30,000 grant from the Orlando Magic Youth Fund, a McCormick Foundation Fund (OMYF-MFF), which will help bolster the program’s staff and supplies.
“These programs are so important to ensure our youth maximize their educational opportunities,” said Orlando Magic CEO Alex Martins. “GROWS Literacy Council provides an amazing service in our community and we are so proud to assist them.”
Over the last 22 years, the Orlando Magic Youth Foundation has distributed more than $17 million to local non-profit community organizations. The OMYF raises community dollars annually through donations, auctions and events such as the Black Tie and Tennies Gala and the OMYF Golf Tournament with matching funds at $0.50 on the dollar provided by the McCormick Foundation.
“With the help of the Orlando Magic, we are able to maintain our staff,” said Marilina Viera, Executive Director of GROWS Literacy Council. “They are trained already and it wouldn’t be good for any of the families if we constantly had to change our teachers.”
In addition to teaching each participant the English language, adults also get advice on an assortment of family skills. They, for instance, learn all about how to obtain legal driver licenses and are taught about local and state laws, family healthcare and proper parenting.
The children, meanwhile, who are between the ages of two and five, get an inclusive preschool education. The goal of the instruction is to assure that each child moves on to kindergarten and integrate with other kids whose primary language is English.
Each family is given all the supplies they need, including books and other essential learning material. After getting their first-rate education from all the certified teachers, the parents and children in the program are able to bring their newfound knowledge to the household where other members of each family can augment their skills.
“We have seen great success with this program and we think with OMYF’s help it will allow these low-income families to function proficiently in their personal lives.”
To learn more or make a difference with a donation, visit omyf.org.
February 18, 2012
ORLANDO -- For families getting a fresh start in a new country and a new culture, it can be extremely difficult to adapt. Especially for the impoverished, learning new skills and gaining the necessary knowledge to succeed can be challenging.
But here in Central Florida, one organization is offering underprivileged families the opportunity to become literate and, in effect, become competent in all aspects of their lives.
GROWS Literacy Council, a non-profit community-based organization with the mission of empowering deprived men and women to read, write and speak English, has reinforced the goal of breaching the vicious cycle of unemployment, welfare and illiteracy.
And with the help of the Orlando Magic Youth Foundation, more and more families are empowered to be ambitious and reach their academic and career goals.
Recently, GROWS Literacy Council received a $30,000 grant from the Orlando Magic Youth Fund, a McCormick Foundation Fund (OMYF-MFF), which will help bolster the program’s staff and supplies.
“These programs are so important to ensure our youth maximize their educational opportunities,” said Orlando Magic CEO Alex Martins. “GROWS Literacy Council provides an amazing service in our community and we are so proud to assist them.”
Over the last 22 years, the Orlando Magic Youth Foundation has distributed more than $17 million to local non-profit community organizations. The OMYF raises community dollars annually through donations, auctions and events such as the Black Tie and Tennies Gala and the OMYF Golf Tournament with matching funds at $0.50 on the dollar provided by the McCormick Foundation.
“With the help of the Orlando Magic, we are able to maintain our staff,” said Marilina Viera, Executive Director of GROWS Literacy Council. “They are trained already and it wouldn’t be good for any of the families if we constantly had to change our teachers.”
In addition to teaching each participant the English language, adults also get advice on an assortment of family skills. They, for instance, learn all about how to obtain legal driver licenses and are taught about local and state laws, family healthcare and proper parenting.
The children, meanwhile, who are between the ages of two and five, get an inclusive preschool education. The goal of the instruction is to assure that each child moves on to kindergarten and integrate with other kids whose primary language is English.
Each family is given all the supplies they need, including books and other essential learning material. After getting their first-rate education from all the certified teachers, the parents and children in the program are able to bring their newfound knowledge to the household where other members of each family can augment their skills.
“We have seen great success with this program and we think with OMYF’s help it will allow these low-income families to function proficiently in their personal lives.”
To learn more or make a difference with a donation, visit omyf.org.
