Leaders for Literacy

When you make a major donation of $500 or more, you become a Leader for Literacy.

Leaders for Literacy was founded in 1994 by Nancy Searle, a Chicago-area philanthropist and a major literacy advocate, to promote awareness of and support for Literacy Chicago’s mission.

Leaders for Literacy recognizes that reading and writing are important to a society’s progress and advancement. A community with a high level of literacy is a community that not only respects the value and rights of its individuals but also promotes the responsibilities of citizenship.

Knowing that one adult student at Literacy Chicago can receive a full term of personalized instruction for $500, Ms. Searle began asking fellow community and business leaders to join her in becoming a Leader for Literacy. Over the years, the financial support of Leaders for Literacy has helped to fund Literacy Chicago’s programs and services, and has increased the educational and life opportunities for Chicago-area adults and their families.

As a Leader for Literacy, you make a direct contribution to the Literacy Chicago effort:

A gift of $500 provides an adult student with an entire term of one-on-one tutoring services.

A gift of $1,000 can train Literacy Chicago tutors, empowering our volunteer instructors to increase their impact.

A gift of $2,500 can equip a class with books, equipment, teaching aides, writing boards and more.

A gift of $5,000 allows a class of students to be professionally taught for a full term.