Literacy Together (formerly Literacy Council of Buncombe County)

Literacy Together's Vision
A just and equitable community in which literacy is accessible and achievable by all.

Core Values

Lifelong Learning

We believe the pursuit of knowledge is a lifelong journey for our students, tutors, staff, board, and community.
We offer transformative learning experiences to people of all backgrounds, ages, and abilities.

Individual Dignity

We believe individuals have the power to reach their own potential through teaching, learning, and community involvement.
We trust and believe in our students when they share their experiences, goals, insights, and vision.
We co-create learning environments where the dignity, worth, and complexity of each person is honored.

Equity and Justice

We believe access to lifelong quality education is the cornerstone of a more just and equitable society.
We commit to diversity and inclusion in all aspects of our organization and recognize that racism is a major barrier to achieving a community where literacy is accessible to all.
We serve as equal partners with students, tutors, staff, and board to help students reach their goals.

Leadership and Innovation

We respond to a changing landscape, creating new pathways for groups and individuals to reach their full potential.
We initiate collaboration in a nonpartisan manner to engage the community in advocating for the change required to create a more literate Buncombe County.
We commit to the highest standards of professionalism, honesty, and integrity in all individual, business, and community interactions.

We believe that literacy changes lives for the better. In fact, we know it. Literacy and English language proficiency are tools that help people rise out of poverty and get better-paying jobs to support their families. Literacy allow parents to read to their children. Improved literacy skills benefit not only the struggling reader, but everyone in our community regardless of age, race, gender, or background. We offer our students personal instruction and top rate materials. As a result, we improve our community, our economy and individual lives.

We serve students in three core programs through free tutoring by trained volunteer tutors:
Adult Literacy
English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)
Youth Literacy

We also send books to over 5,000 children birth to 5 years old through Dolly Parton's Imagination Library® program.

Literacy Together provides research-based curricula and instruction is contextualized to life and work, making it highly relevant to the adult learner, even those at the lowest literacy levels. Staff and tutors encourage students to set realistic personal literacy goals and provide students with the information and support to pursue these goals. Literacy Together has provided these services in Buncombe County for the past 30 years, and consistently meets or exceeds state benchmarks for adult student improvement.

For low-income school children who read, write, and/or spell below grade level, The Youth Literacy program provides similar research-based curricula utilizing Wilson Reading System and Orton-Gillingham methods. Pre- and post-tests historically show a 100% success rate.

We are also the only organization in Buncombe County that provides US Naturalization exam tutoring.

Since 1987 the Literacy Together has served thousands of students. Starting out with the Adult Literacy program, teaching reading, writing, spelling, and math to adults who read at or below a basic skills level.

The council expanded to serve English Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL). The ESOL program teaches oral English, reading, and writing to adults who have immigrated to the U.S. from around the world. We also provide US Naturalization exam tutoring.

In 2010 the council become an Augustine Project replication site to serve low-income students who read, write, and/or spell below grade level. In 2018 we restructured this program and serve the same population under the new name of the Youth Literacy program.

In 2015 Literacy Together became an affiliate of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, serving 200 children. The program now serves over 2,800 children birth to 5 years old who receive age appropriate books each month.

Literacy Together will continue to serve Buncombe County by providing ongoing, hands-on, and accessible tutoring for its students and the resources and training needed for its volunteers. Our donors will witness the positive impact for both the individual and the community at large.