2018 LVG Gala - "Celebrating Literacy"
The 2018 LVG Fundraising Gala is fast approaching - May 12th! This is our annual event which provides the bulk of our funding. Tickets are still available for this exiting evening of hors d'oeuvres and wine, silent auction, live auction and dinner event catered by Executive Cuisine to be held at 19 Main in New Milford.
The live auction, with actor Jack Gilpin as Master of Ceremonies, features trips to Mexico, Africa and Italy, along with tickets to Limerock Race Park and a stay at the Newport, RI Marriott. The silent auction, as usual, has something for everyone!
Come and join us on May 12th and support Literacy Volunteers on the Green.
Give Local - April 24th & 25th
Give Local was held on April 24th & April 25th and, thanks to your generosity, LVG realized close to $7,000. in donations! Thank you for your continuing support.
LVG Annual Meeting
Literacy Volunteers on the Green will hold their Annual Meeting on Monday, December 11, 2017 at 5:00 P.M. at the office.
The agenda will include approval of budget and election of officers. Please contact the office for more information (860-355-0830).
Giving Tuesday - November 21, 2017
The holiday season is just around the corner and we invite you to kick it off with us on Giving Tuesday on November 21st! Giving Tuesday is a global day of giving back. On the Tuesday following Thanksgiving, you’ll have the chance to join people around the world and support a cause close to your heart---literacy.
Our goal for Giving Tuesday is to raise $3,000 to support our English for Mom and Me program, an eight week intensive English as a second language class session for mothers of pre-schoolers. Developmentally appropriate child care is provided for the children while the mothers are in class, enabling them to focus on their language skills. The 23 mothers who completed our Fall 2017 pilot program gained one level of English fluency.
You can be part of their success. Please support the Winter and Spring 2018 sessions of English for Mom and Me with a Giving Tuesday donation. You can donate securely on our website or send your donation to Literacy Volunteers on the Green, P.O. Box 366, New Milford CT 06776.
December Library Program
New Citizens
Our annual LVG Thanksgiving Student and Tutor Appreciation Dinner recognized our six new American citizens (l to r):
Felipe Ginin, Maria Irene Giraldo, Andres Sanchez, Marta Pulgarin.
Citizenship tutor Ann Vallombroso, Rosa Zapata, LVG Executive Director Jacqui Farrell. Not pictured Rosario Davila.
Tutor Training Workshops
Make a difference in someone's life - Volunteer with Literacy Volunteers on the Green!
The Fall 2017 Tutor Training Workshops for English as a second language tutors will be held on three consecutive Monday evenings from 5:30pm to 8:00pm on September 11th, 18th, and 25th. Attendance at all 3 evenings is required. The workshops will be held at the Brookfield Senior Center at 100 Pocono Road, Brookfield CT.
No prior tutoring experience or knowledge of another language is necessary. After you complete training, Literacy Volunteers on the Green will match you with a student and provide instructional materials and on-going support. Registration and completed application required prior to September 1, 2017.
For more information call us at 860-355-0830 or email us: info@lvg-ct.org.
2017 LVG Gala
See Gala photos here!
Our Annual Fundraising Gala, held May 6th at 19 Main in New Milford, was a great success thanks to the continuing support and generosity of our donors. For the past 12 years, Literacy Volunteers on the Green has worked to open the gates to increased English literacy to our neighbors who are economically and socially restrained by their limited skills in this area. Our students come from around the world and around the block seeking to improve their lives by improving their literacy in the English language. Your generosity keeps the lights on, our extraordinary staff paid, our volunteer tutors trained, our text book shelves filled and our outreach expanding. We ae truly grateful for the support of our donors.
Tutor Training Workshop
- Saturday, February 4, from 9:30-3:00, and
- Tuesday, February 7 from 6:00-8:00
No prior tutoring experience or knowledge of another language is necessary. After you complete training, Literacy Volunteers on the Green will match you with a student and provide instructional materials and on-going support.
Workshop will be held at the Literacy Volunteers Offices at St. John's Episcopal Church, 7 Whittlesey Avenue, New Milford, CT 06776
Registration is required.
Call us at 860-355-0830
Email us: info@lvg-ct.org
Literacy Volunteers on the Green:
Planting seeds of literacy in communities throughout Litchfield County since 2005.
November 29th is Giving Tuesday -
Help Us Reach Our Goal: $2,500 for Family Read
Our Thanksgiving/Giving Tuesday goal is to inspire 100 donors to invest $25 to improve literacy in our communities.
Our Thanksgiving/Giving Tuesday goal is to inspire 100 donors to invest $25 to improve literacy in our communities.
FAMILY READ uses award-winning children’s literature to teach parents how to read to their children. Literacy Volunteers on the Green's trained facilitators help parents improve their read aloud and questioning skills. When parents know how to nurture a love of storytelling and reading, the child's critical thinking skills and vocabulary development are enhanced.
Our trained facilitators volunteer their time. We need to raise $2,500 to purchase materials to fund Family Read in 2017. Please use the DONATE button, above, to make a secure donation. Or send your donation to LVG, P.O. Box 366, New Milford CT 06776.
Family Read
The fall session of Family Read began on Sept 20, 2016. This collaboration with Nurturing Families from the VNA will run for 6 sessions and the books will focus on issues related to family values. The first book discussed was Wemberly Worried written by Kevin Henkes which is about a mouse named Wemberly who finds herself worrying about everything. Then last week we read The Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant which is about a large, happy family visit with an old-fashioned feel. This week the book choice is Margaret And Margarita about two young girls who speak different languages but want to play together and be friends. Future books to be discussed are Hairs/Pelitos, A Chair for My Mother and Fancy Nancy.
If you are interested in joining Family Read please call the office of Literacy Volunteers on the Green at 860-355-0830 to register. We meet at the VNA located at 68 Parklane in New Milford, on Monday mornings from 10:30AM to 12:00PM. Refreshments are served and participants receive a copy of the book which was discussed.
Volunteer Opportunity - "Literacy Changes Everything"
Teach an adult to read, write, understand and speak English, and you will change a family and a community.
LVG is offering a Volunteer Tutor Training Session in New Milford on September 13th, 15th, and 22nd, from
5:30pm to 8:00pm. A light supper will be served.
Registration is required; registration deadline is September 6th.
- — No prior tutoring experience or knowledge of another language is necessary
- — Attendance at all three sessions is required in order to become a tutor
Literacy Volunteers on the Green provides free instruction in basic literacy and English as a second language to adults throughout Northern Fairfield and Litchfield counties. After you complete training, Literacy Volunteers on the Green will match you with a student and will provide instructional materials and on-going support.
For information and an application:
Email us at info@lvg-ct.org or call us at 860-355-0830.
New England Patriots Charitable Foundation's Myra Kraft Community MVP Award
Rita Guariglia, co-founder of Literacy Volunteers on the Green and a volunteer tutor with the organization for the past ten years, was the recipient of a Myra Kraft Community MVP Award during ceremonies at Gillette Stadium on June 2nd. The Kraft family and New England Patriots Charitable Foundation's Myra Kraft Community MVP Awards place a spotlight on those who give their time to help others and exemplify leadership, dedication and a commitment to improving their communities through volunteerism.
On hand to congratulate the award winners were Patriots Chairman and CEO Robert Kraft, New England Patriots Charitable Foundation President Joshua Kraft, Patriots and Pro Football Hall of Famer and Patriots Executive Director of Community Affairs Andre Tippett, and players Rob Gronkowski and Tom Brady. In honor of Rita and her volunteerism, the Kraft Family and New England Patriots Charitable Foundation presented Literacy Volunteers on the Green with a donation of $10,000.
The entire press release is available.
Discover, Volunteer and Give Local!
Thank You for your generosity! The Give Local benefit raised $3115. for LVG.
GiveLocal funds will help defray the $500 per student annual cost which includes providing free books to both the student and tutor, tutor training and development, and the overhead and liability insurance which we must carry in order to continue to meet in the various venues where we hold classes.
The Give Local Greater Waterbury & Litchfield Hills event is over but you can still donate using the Donate button at the top of this page!
Workshop on Teaching Pronunciation to Adult English Language Learners
Presenter: Professor Paula Baird, Associate Professor of English as a Second Language at Tunxis Community College. She received her B.A. from Purdue University and M.A. from the University of Connecticut and offers methods of teaching English language learners at Connecticut’s Community Colleges.
Space is limited and registration is required prior to May 16th. Please phone (860-355-0830) or email Jacqui (info@LVG-CT.org) if you would like to attend. This is a great opportunity - hope you can attend!
Monday, May 23, 2016
10:00am to Noon
Southbury Public Library
100 Poverty Road
Southbury, CT
Tutor Volunteer Information Sessions
Do you know somone who would like to be an LVG tutor? Learn about our programs and how you can become a tutor at one of the following meetings:
- Thursday, April 14th from 10:00 to 11:00 A.M.
- Tuesday, April 19th from 7:00 to 8:00 P.M.
- Thursday, April 28th from 2:00-3:00 P.M.
Registration is required; more details here.
Our Newest Citizens
Five of our new citizens who live in New Milford were greeted and honored by New Milford Mayor David Gronbach today during a reception at Town Hall. They include Galicia Sedona, Myat Tun Eloisa Tello-Barlow, Maria Elena Kamt and Jose Paredes. LVG executive director Jacqui Farrell and citizenship teacher Ann Vallombroso also attended.
Family Read®
Next Family Read Session to begin March 17th in New Milford and May 3rd in Danbury!
Family Read® is a program for parents of young children that uses award-winning children’s literature to explore universal themes like sharing and cooperating. Trained facilitators guide adults through these topics and model skills such as reading aloud and asking open-ended questions. Family Read® uses the research-based Motheread/Fatheread® curriculum, which has been recognized for excellence by the Barbara Bush Foundation, Laubach Literacy International and the International Reading Association.
The curriculum is organized around universal child development themes and covers classics of children’s literature as well as multicultural stories and folktales from around the world. Workshops are open to both native English speakers and English language learners.
Literacy Volunteers on the Green presented two workshops this past year and over 50 young parents participated. We have received requests for more workshops and now we have the funding to provide them and to help break generational cycles of low literacy in our communities.
Giving Tuesday Is Over But Our Need Continues
On Tuesday, December 1st, charities, families, businesses, community centers, and students around the world came together for one common purpose: to celebrate generosity and to give.
We encourage you to continue this tradition of generosity by contributing to LVG’s mission of providing free literacy instruction.
Will you help us? Click on the Donate button located on the top left near our contact information; it will take you to a secure PayPal site. Thank you for getting involved and making a difference by giving someone the gift of literacy.
LVG Gala Celebrating 10 Years:
A Grand Success!
Literacy Volunteers on the Green celebrated its Tenth Anniversary with a dinner on October 24th in New Milford. The evening honored Union Savings Bank as the recipient of the Director’s Award for Long-standing Support. Christine Baranski, Emmy and Tony award winner who currently appears in “The Good Wife” on television, was a special guest and presenter. The Master of Ceremonies was Reverend Jack Gilpin, who in addition to being priest in charge at St. John’s Episcopal Church is an actor currently appearing in “Madam Secretary.”
Contact information: Jacqui Farrell at 860-355-0830
Honoring 10 Years of Support!
Union Saving Bank is a longtime supporter of Literacy Volunteers on the Green and is an annual sponsor for the LVG Gala Fundraiser.
Literacy Volunteers Celebrate 10th Anniversary
"Literacy Volunteers on the Green, a nonprofit organization that provides free literacy instruction, is going strong as it heads into its second decade."
Read the full story from The Greater New Milford Spectrum here.
Do You Love To Read?
Why Not Share That Pleasure - Become a Tutor!
Literacy Volunteers on the Green depends upon volunteer tutors to share the gift of literacy. Our tutors have a passion for helping others and making a difference in their communities. Tutors choose when and where they are available to tutor. They work with individuals or groups of fewer than four learners.
Our Fall 2015 Tutor Training Program consists of an individual orientation meeting, an observation of a current class and a series of three 3 hour group sessions.
- Individual orientation is available throughout the summer by appointment. This is the volunteer’s opportunity to find out more about our organization.
- Observation of a current class will be scheduled at the convenience of the volunteer but it should be completed prior to September 9th.
- Workshop Sessions will be held at St. John’s Parish Hall in New Milford from 5:30-8:30pm; a light supper will be provided:
- Wednesday, September 2, 2015
- Wednesday, September 9. 2015
- Wednesday, September 16, 2015
If you are interested, but are unavailable for the scheduled session, a second hybrid session (combination of classroom and computer instruction) is being planned. Please contact us for further information.
A tutor application form is available as are more tutor program details on our tutor webpage.
Please call 860-355-0830 or email info@lvg-ct.org to arrange for an orientation meeting.
“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” Mahatma Gandhi
“Literacy is a bridge from misery to hope.” Kofi Annan
PRESS RELEASE June 18, 2015:
Literacy Volunteers on the Green Awarded a ProLiteracy National Book Fund Grant
Literacy Volunteers on the Green is pleased to announce it has received an award from ProLiteracy’s National Book Fund. The National Book Fund provides adult education and literacy programs throughout the United States with grant awards to help purchase high-quality educational materials and resources needed to support their literacy initiatives.
Kevin Morgan, president and CEO of ProLiteracy said, “Every year, we receive a number of compelling, high-quality applicants. ProLiteracy is excited to be celebrating the 20th anniversary of the National Book Fund with the bold vision of putting one book each in the hands of 125,000 adult learners nationwide. Over 305,000 adults, youth, and children improved their reading skills as a result of this initiative, and more than 33,000 tutors and literacy volunteers have received the resources they need to provide direct literacy instruction to students.”
New Readers Press, the publishing division of ProLiteracy, provides the books and materials for the National Book Fund. These books are high-quality instructional materials specially written to meet the needs of adult literacy students, instructors, and trainers. Adult literacy programs can chose from more than 400 New Readers Press titles.
Jacqueline Farrell, executive director of Literacy Volunteers on the Green which serves Northern Fairfield and Litchfield counties said, “The grant we received from the National Book Fund helps us to provide supplemental reading materials and an online newspaper for use with our basic adult literacy students, as well as though who are learning English as a second language.” Literacy Volunteers on the Green currently provides free classes in basic literacy to native English speakers who are functionally illiterate, English as a second language, and citizenship classes to 167 individuals in individual and small group classes.
About ProLiteracy
ProLiteracy believes every adult has the right to literacy. ProLiteracy, the largest adult literacy and basic education membership organization in the nation, is committed to creating a world in which all adults are literate. ProLiteracy has 1,000 member programs in all 50 states and the District of Columbia and works with 52 non-governmental organizations in 34 developing countries. For more information about ProLiteracy, please visit www.proliteracy.org.
THANK YOU! We Exceeded Our Goal!
Many thanks to our supporters and to the Connecticut Community Foundation, the sponsor of
GiveLocal 2015 in the Greater Waterbury and Litchfield Hills area. The GiveLocal campaign
raised $3,783. to provide materials for our Family Read® workshops. This family literacy program
focuses on parents as the primary teachers of young children while integrating adult literacy,
early childhood literacy, parenting and parent/child interaction.
GiveLocal encourages donors to support the non-profit organizations that work to improve the quality of life in their communities. Literacy Volunteers received $5,765. during the Fall 2013 campaign, $888.96 in May 2014 and $3783. in May 2015. In addition to providing materials and programming for instruction in English, these funds enabled us to launch a new initiative: intensive classes for English as a second language learners. These classes provided 12 hours of instruction weekly over a ten week period so that students could progress more quickly in their acquisition of English. Additional information is at Give Local GW & LH
Would You Like to Be an LVG Tutor?
Would you like to give someone the gift of literacy? Become a Literacy Volunteers on the Green tutor! Training workshops are held throughout the year.
Contact us at info@LVG-CT.org or at 860-355-0830 for more information.
SUPPORT OUR MISSION
Literacy Volunteers on the Green depends upon corporate and private donations and volunteers to provide free instruction and materials to its students. Literacy Volunteers on the Green, Inc. is a non-profit organization under Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3), EIN number 26-2018636. Your donation may be tax deductible, to the extent permitted by law. Thank you for your support.
