1. L
OPENING MINDS ... CHANGING LIVES
V
LITERACY
S
VOLUNTEERS
A
SERVING
ADULTS
Annual Report 2009-2010
Literacy Volunteers Serving Adults/Northern Delaware, Inc.
Wilmington, Delaware

2. From the President
A
dult illiteracy is a these necessary educational pieces, we, the
life of isolation. Board of Directors, rely upon the support of
Literacy Getting over the our donors.
Volunteers
hurdle of finding a
learning guide can Our accomplishments outlined in this 2009-
Serving often be an insur- 2010 Annual Report have been made possible
Adults
mountable experience. in a tough economic climate by the generos-
Learners who have a ity of individuals, foundations, and corpora-
helps our reading level below
that of a fifth grader
tions that share our mission, “Opening Minds
. . . Changing Lives.”
learners quickly fall behind,
break
often ending up more discouraged and disap- As you read the pages that follow, please
pointed than when they began. Literacy Vol- keep in mind that all of our accomplishments
through the unteers Serving Adults helps our learners
break through the barriers.
would not have been possible without the
work of many people. I am grateful for the
barriers support of a dedicated Board of Directors, a
Learners depend upon and receive life- passionate staff, and generous donors.
changing guidance in reading, writing, math,
and computer skills, along with English in-
struction from either a volunteer tutor or
teacher. Volunteer tutors and teachers de-
pend upon our Director and Program Coordi- Arthur W. Ritchie
nator for leadership, training, and effective Board President
teaching materials. In order to provide all of
From the Director
T
his has been a the Bear Library with a grant from the Ameri-
busy and produc- can Recovery and Reinvestment Act through
Stories from tive year for Liter- First State Community Action Agency. This
our LVSA
acy Volunteers Serving program focuses on teaching the basic Eng-
Adults (LVSA). We have lish skills that non-native speakers need to
community been able not only to become more successful as workers, parents
of learners
hold our own in these and community members.
tough economic times,
and tutors but also to thrive. We
now have more than 30
Stories from our LVSA community of learners
and tutors keep us focused on success. The
keep us basic reading learners staff—Cathy, Alyssa and I—are motivated by
focused on
matched with tutors. We have added two our hard-working learners and our amazing
new classes for beginning readers at the volunteers who give so freely of their time
success Woodlawn Library, and have set up a social
network to connect tutors with each other
and talents and inspire us everyday. We at
LVSA firmly believe that literacy is the way
and our staff. In addition, this past year, forward to a more productive and self-suffi-
LVSA once again earned accreditation from cient life, working towards the American
ProLiteracy Worldwide for meeting and ex- Dream.
ceeding all benchmarks for volunteer literacy
organizations.
We have also been able to expand the Adult Cynthia E. Shermeyer
Literacy and Language Learning Center at Director
2—Literacy Volunteers Serving Adults • 2009-2010 Annual Report

3. LVSA by the numbers
FiscalYear July 1, 2009 – June 30, 2010
Revenue
< 1%
48% 52%
Contributions Government Grants Other (including earned income)
Revenue
Contributions* $123,906
Government Grants 132,352
Other (including earned income) 2,522
Total $258,780
*This category includes gifts from individuals, the United Way Contributor Choice Program,
grants from corporations and foundations, and special fundraising events.
Expenses
Literacy Volunteers
Serving Adults/
Northern
10% Delaware, Inc., is a
8%
tax-exempt,
501[c][3] educa-
tional organization.
All contributions
82%
are tax deductible
to the extent al-
lowed by law.The
organization’s com-
plete audited finan-
cial statement is
Literacy Program Services Management & General Fundraising
available from Lit-
eracy Volunteers
Expenses Serving Adults/
Literacy Program Services $174,231 Northern
Management and General 18,019 Delaware, Inc.,
Fundraising 21,624 Post Office Box
2083, Wilmington,
Total $213,874
DE 19899.
3—Literacy Volunteers Serving Adults • 2009-2010 Annual Report

4. Donors 2009-2010 *United Way
Special thanks to our Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Davis Ms. Pamela Hoffman
donors, who make Ms. Paula Maude Dayton Ms. Sherry Hoffman
what we do possible Ms. Erin Delano Ms. Ruth Holden
Mr. and Mrs. Curtis Dell Ms. Deborah Howard
The following individuals and organi- Mr. Chris Delorenzo Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Hubbard
zations generously helped to fund Ms. Marian Delp Ms. Elizabeth Hunt
programs in our 2010 Fiscal Year, Ms. Nancy Devine Mr. and Mrs. James Hunter
from July 1, 2009, through June 30, Ms. Deanne Dewar Mr. and Mrs. Robert Hurka
2010. Ms. Marcia Diemer Ms. Jen Jaqueth
Ms. Marcy Diener Ms. Karla Jensen
Individuals Mr. and Mrs. Frank Dilley Ms. Marynell Jewett
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Abel Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Dittmar Ms. Cindy Johnson
Mr. Kurt Adams *Dr. Tanya Djanegara Ms. Martha Johnson
Mr. and Mrs. Bob Almond Ms. Susan Dods Mr. Gary Jolly
Mr. Paul and Frances Altman Ms. Judith Dolinger Ms. Janet Jones
Mr. and Mrs. David Angerer Dr. and Dr. Robert Dressler and Mr. Daniel Kasprzak
Ms. Sally Angelero Susan Szabo Mr. and Mrs. Mark Kaufman
Ms. Melanie Andrews *Ms. Johanna Dunn Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Keeler
Ms. Ruth Ansel Mr. and Mrs. Edward DuPont Ms. Barbara Kemper
Ms. Becky Arnold Mrs. Marion Ehrlich Ms. Bridget Kirk
Ms. Jane Ellen Babe Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Eid Ms. Naomi Klein
Ms. Jeanne Badlato Mr. and Mrs. John Eklund Mr. and Mrs. Richard Knee
Ms. Charlotte Baker Mrs. Gretchen Elhassani Mrs. Carmen Knox
Mr. Cornelius Banks Ms. Helen Eliason Mr. and Mrs. Robert Krapf
Mr. and Mrs. David Bankston Mr. and Mrs. Richard Emmert Mr. Robert Kraver
Mr. and Mrs. William Barlow Mrs. Susan Fallon Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Kristol
Ms. Barbara Beaman Mr. and Mrs. Jack Fink Mr. and Mrs. Walter Kruse
Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Beardwood Ms. Rona Finkelstein Mr. Kenneth Kubacki
*Mr. Robert Bell Ms. Nancy J. Frampton Ms. Mary Landoll
Ms. Cindy Bennett Mrs. Virginia Franta Mr. and Mrs. Sebastian LaRocca
*Ms. Allison Berl Mr. and Mrs. Charles Gawthrop Dr. and Mrs. Allen Levy
Ms. Marcilee Bierlein Mr. Jax M. Geller Ms. Kristin Liersch
Mr. and Mrs.Yaroslav Bilinsky Mr. Alden Gibbs Mr. James A. Livingston
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Bisio Ms. Louise Glenn Mr. and Mrs. Ken Lomax
Mr. Anthony Bleach Mr. and Mrs. Michael Glessner Ms. Alice Long
*Mr. and Mrs. Dwin Bohn Mr. and Mrs. James Godfrey Mr. and Mrs. Edward Loper, Sr.
Mr. and Mrs. William Boulden Mr. and Mrs. Richard Goldbaum Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Loper
Mr. Richard Bowen *Mrs. Robert Gore Ms. Mary Ann Lougheed
Mr. Gustavo Bravo Mr. John Graham Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Lubitz
Mr. Roberts Brokaw III Ms. Mary Greenberg Mr. and Mrs. Fred Ludman
*Ms. Sarah Brown Mr. and Mrs. James Greenshields *Mr. and Mrs. Basil Maas
Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Budner *Dr. and Mrs. Richard Grenville Ms. Denise Madison
Ms. Theresa Cancro Ms. Ruth Griffin Mr. John Malloy
Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Cardinal Mr. Fernando Guevara Mr. and Mrs. Steven Marino
Ms. Betsy Carpenter Mr. Chester Gulczynski Mr. and Mrs. David Marvin
Senator and Mrs. Thomas Carper Mr. Edward Hannagen Dr. and Mrs. Fred Masterson
Hon. and Mrs. Michael Castle Ms. Margaret Harrell *Mr. and Mrs. Stephen McGrath
*Ms. Rosella Champion Ms. E. McCrae Harrison Mr. and Mrs. William McLain
Yu Tang Chou Mr. and Mrs. John Hawkins *Dr. Knut Meyer
Ms. Eileen Conner Ms. Roberta Headley Ms. Marjorie Meyermann
Mr. and Mrs. Steven Cope Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Hess Mr. and Mrs. John Micklos
Mr. and Mrs. Harry Cripps Mr. Nicholas Hester Mr. and Mrs. Emil Mikity
Mr. Peter Dalleo *Dr. and Mrs. Robert Hickok Mr. Donald Minnich
Mr. Bob Darby Ms. Fannie Hill Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Monroe
*Mr. and Mrs. John Himes Mr. Michael Morgan
4—Literacy Volunteers Serving Adults • 2009-2010 Annual Report

5. Donors 2009-2010 *United Way
Dr. and Mrs. Michael Morris Ms. Teresa Thompson Delaware Department of Education
Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Morris Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Travers Adult and Prison Education Work
Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Morris Mr. and Mrs. Frances Trzuskowski Group
Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Nachbar *Mr. and Mrs. David Venetianer First State Community Action
Mr. and Mrs. Chandan Nath Ms. Wendy Voss Agency
Mr. and Mrs. Harold Neikirk Ms. Ledee Wakefield Grant-in-Aid
Ms. Julia Neikirk Mrs. Lisa H. Wagner Red Hat Society
Ms. Pamela Nelson Mr. and Mrs. James Walker
*Mr. Quoc-Anh Nguyen *Mr. and Mrs. James Walnock In-Kind Gifts
Mrs. Ana Nieves Ms. Delores Washington We deeply appreciate the invaluable
Mr. and Mrs. Parry Norling *Mr. Lawrence Watson in-kind services from the following
Mr. and Mrs. Edward Novak Mr. and Mrs. Richard Waxman contributors:
Mr. J. J. Nuttall Mrs. Kate Weaver
*Ms. Carol O’Donnell Mr. Daniel Weintraub BBC Tavern And Grill
Mr. Charles Oberly Ms. Tomoko Werbe Bear Library
Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Oldham Mr. Richard Wheeler Brandywine Library
Mr. and Mrs. Alan Palmer Mr. and Mrs. Donald White Brandywine Zoo
Jiyeon Park Ms. Mary White Buckley’s Tavern
Mr. Michael J. Pavlin Mr. and Mrs. William Wood, Jr. Café Napoli
Ms. Elizabeth Pfeufer Mr. Edgard Woolard Café Gelato
*Ms. Bonnie Porter Mrs. Janet Worrell Calvary Presbyterian Church
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Potter *Ms. ChristineYasik Christ Church Christiana Hundred
Mr. and Mrs. Donald Proud Ms. JennyYeh The Community News
Mr. Thomas Przybylski Ms. Diane Zilka CVS
Mr. and Mrs. Nathaniel Puffer Cromwell’s Tavern
Ms. Deborah L. Pyle Businesses Deer Park Tavern & Mc Glynn’s Pub
Mr. Edward Redfield III Delmarva Power Harry’s Savoy Grill
Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Riebman DuPont Hockessin Athletic Club
Mr. and Mrs. James Riggleman Forever Green Landscaping, Inc. Iron Hill Brewery and Restaurant
Mr. Arthur Ritchie Longview Capital Management Kreston’s Liquor Mart, Inc.
Ms. Dorothy Robinson Morris and Morris LLC, Limestone Presbyterian Church
Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Ruppe Counselors at Law Newark Library
*Ms. Janet Salacki TD Bank Newark United Methodist Church
Ms. Emily Sanders Thorndale Dental Associates Over Coffee Café
Ms. Janet Sanders Dr. Allan S. Tocker and Associates, Pizza by Elizabeths
Ms. Judy Sargent Optometry P.A. Sunrise Cleaners
Mr. and Mrs. F. Charles Shermeyer Wilmington Dental Associates Theater N at Nemours
Ms. Lisa Schetrompf WSFS Bank Todd’s Beauty Salon
Mr. John Schmutz Toscana Kitchen and Bar
Mr. Axel Schwendt Foundations Westminister Presbyterian Church
Mr. and Mrs. James Scott White Clay Creek Presbyterian
Rose H. Charles and Rita Arsht
Mr. and Mrs. Rodney Sharp III Church
Foundation
Ms. Frances Shelton Widener University
The Christmas Shop Foundation
Ms. Nan Showalter Wilmington Library
Crestlea Foundation, Inc.
Ms. Stephanie Selice Woodlawn Library
Delaware Community Foundation
Mrs. John Sinclair
Delaware Fund for Women
Mr. Nirmal Singh
Laffey-McHugh Foundation
Mr. Jack Skehan Our apologies to any contributor
Longwood Foundation, Inc.
Ms. Suzanne Smith who may have been inadvertently
Welfare Foundation, Inc.
Mr. William Smith omitted. Every effort has been made
Ms. Nuria Solano
Mr. and Mrs. David Sorber
Organizations and to list donors accurately. Please in-
form our office of any corrections at
*Mr. John Stacey Government Agencies 302-658-5624.
Mr. and Mrs. Don Stitz City of Wilmington
Ms. Linda Taylor Cub Scout Pack 527
5—Literacy Volunteers Serving Adults • 2009-2010 Annual Report

6. Who we are . . . LVSA success stories
W
Teacher
orking with small groups, Ruth (shown prepar-
ing for a lesson at left) provides both challenge
and security as the instructor to her two small
Basic Reader classes at the Woodlawn Library.
While patient and quiet, Ruth has a great sense of
humor that opens up her learners and their abilities to
succeed. Looking to unlock the lives of those who “live
in secret” with illiteracy and/or reading disabilities,
Ruth works to tear down prior negative school experi-
ences and to build a positive learning atmosphere for
all of her learners.
Over thirty years of special education teaching allows
her to give the “self-satisfaction of using all that you
know” to her learners and those that she meets. Ruth’s
eager and determined adult learners do not lack in the
motivation to achieve and grow.
Woodlawn small group learners quickly find out “this is
not the last step – this is only the first step in learning.”
Ruth is the starting point of their transition to positive,
confident and thriving futures.
“...this is not
the last step –
this is only
the first step
in learning.”
6—Literacy Volunteers Serving Adults • 2009-2010 Annual Report

7. L
Adult Learner
ike many a basic reading learner’s jour-
ney, Mike’s is made up of more than one
stop. As a child, he struggled in an edu-
cational system that lacked the appropriate
programs for students with learning disabili-
ties. Marked as one of the “bad kids,” he
moved on to the Merchant Marines and then
trucking.
Knowing that something was missing and that
“everything revolves around reading,” Mike
(shown at right practicing his reading) is now a
highly motivated learner of Ruth’s Basic
Reader classes at Woodlawn.
“The world has opened up for me, and now I am wondering what I missed. It makes
me mad, but now I can’t say enough. Ruth has helped me 100 fold,” says Mike, who “The world
can now read and understand “everyday words” and enjoys reading with friends.
Mike is adapting to the world of technology – he is learning text messaging to fur- has opened
ther his driving career. up for me,
and now I am
Mike smiles, “Don’t judge a book by the cover, that would be me.”
wondering
A
Aspiring Citizen what I
better life,” Abe says. It
missed.”
seems so simple; this
often repeated explana-
tion for why he and so many of
his fellow immigrants first
come to America.
Of course, what it really im-
plies for most who immigrate
to the United States is a quite
complex and difficult set of
choices.
Fourteen years earlier, in search of opportunity, Abe (shown above with with Karen Kin-
sella) left his family and small village in the Ivory Coast. Settling in Delaware and work- “My tutor,
ing alone as a night security guard, Abe filled his hours watching television to learn
English. Lisa, pulled
me towards
Abe walked into the LVSA office and successfully fulfilled his dream to become a U.S. my goal.
citizen.
She knew I
“My tutor, Lisa, pulled me towards my goal. She knew I could do it. I needed someone could do it.”
who would listen to me and help me perfect my English. Now I feel like I belong.”
7—Literacy Volunteers Serving Adults • 2009-2010 Annual Report

8. Adult Literacy and Language Learning Center –
Bear Library: Motivated learners improve skills
I
n celebration of National Adult Educa-
tion and Family Literacy Week, LVSA
“Karen is so recognized the dedication and accom-
patient. I plishments of 33 English language learn-
ers who are students of the Adult Literacy
learn so much and Language Learning Center program
from her.” at the Bear Library on Thursday, Septem-
ber 16, 2010. Currently funded by a grant
from the American Reinvestment and Re-
covery Act, all classes are taught by Karen
Kinsella (below right). Learners work to-
gether on building their communication,
math and computer skills and on United
States civics and citizenship knowledge.
This highly successful LVSA program will
continue through a Self-Sufficiency Com-
munity Services Block Grant obtained
through First State Community Action
Agency.
Doris (above right), originally from Ghana,
earned recognition for attending 126 pro- attendance and hours of participation
gram hours and for greatly improving her with their class, both enjoy learning with
English communication skills. A diligent their motivated classmates. “Karen en-
student, Doris enjoys completing her courages us and we learn so much from
homework and practicing speaking “ap- her,” says Lilian. “This is the best present I
propriately” with her classmates. have—to be here with everyone. After
Friends and classmates Lilian and Helen learning English for ten years, I still need
also work with Karen to increase their to learn all of the basics. Karen is so pa-
English proficiency. Recognized for their tient. I learn so much from her.”
8—Literacy Volunteers Serving Adults • 2009-2010 Annual Report

9. Annual
event
keeps
growing
Spellebration is
LVSA’s major fund
raiser of the year.
In 2009, the event
raised nearly
$8,000 in support
of LVSA’s
programs.
Spellebration
brings together
SCRABBLE®
beginners and
aficianados for an
afternoon of play,
raffles, door prizes
and camaraderie.
The event
continues to grow
each year.
9—Literacy Volunteers Serving Adults • 2009-2010 Annual Report

10. Our numbers add up to successes
Literacy is
the ability to 127 Adult learners received tutoring services.
read, write,
compute, 30 New volunteers were trained as literacy tutors.
and use
technology 87 Volunteers gave 5,488 instructional hours to learners.
at a level
that enables
an individual
20 Other volunteers gave over 800 hours of support in other ways.
to reach his
or her full More than 130 positive outcomes and literacy gains were achieved by ALL
learners and program participants.
potential as
70
a parent,
employee, More than specific skills were achieved by learners, including: improved read-
ing levels; voter registration; improved health or financial literacy; improved vocabu-
and lary, comprehension and reading literacy; citizenship; State of Delaware
community Citizenship certificate.
member.
More than 50 work-related goals were achieved by learners including the ability to:
obtain, retain, or improve employment; learn and use technology; secure related
certifications and promotions; write a resume; conduct a job interview.
More than 94 family and personal goals were achieved by learners including the
ability to: read to children and help with homework; obtain a library card; participate
in parent education classes; join the PTA; participate in school activities; participate
in church activities.
57percent of the adults in the English language learners’ classes increased their
listening and speaking skills.
5 LVSA learners have passed the U.S. Naturalization Test and achieved
U.S. citizenship.
LVSA has educated learners from 98 countries.
10—Literacy Volunteers Serving Adults • 2009-2010 Annual Report

11. Support LVSA
By donating,
What would you do if you couldn’t read? you can help
LVSA
Your help is vital to LVSA’s low-literacy solution because we rely on charitable contri-
butions to keep our unique, learner-centered programs free of charge for low-literacy continue to
adults in New Castle County, Delaware. change the
lives of
We are a 501 [c][3] organization; so all donations to LVSA are tax deductible. For more
than 28 years, LVSA has been Northern Delaware’s only adult literacy organization, hundreds of
providing one-on-one tutoring exclusively to adults who read and write at or below the adults and
fifth-grade level. their families
Thanks to the support of our donors, we’ve grown from a small volunteer group to a each year.
leader in Northern Delaware’s adult illiteracy community. By donating, you can help
LVSA continue to change the lives of hundreds of adults and their families each year.
As a lean, volunteer-based organization, LVSA maximizes every dollar we receive –
which means we deeply appreciate gifts of any size.
Here are a few examples of what your gift will go for:
• $30 pays for one reading, math or English textbook
• $50 pays for non-text book supplies for one learner
• $75 pays for registration and literacy assessment for
one learner
• $200 pays for supplies for a basic reader class
• $800 pays for for one learner to enroll and receive
instruction for one year
You can easily and securely donate to LVSA online at litvolunteers.org, or you can mail
your gift to:
Literacy Volunteers Serving Adults
P.O. Box 2083
Wilmington, DE 19899
If you would like to find out more about making an in-kind gift, a gift of stock or a
planned gift, please contact Cynthia E. Shermeyer, Executive Director, at
302-658-5723 or e-mail litvolunteers@verizon.net.
11—Literacy Volunteers Serving Adults • 2009-2010 Annual Report

12. Literacy Volunteers Serving Adults/
Northern Delaware
P.O. Box 2083
Wilmington, DE 19899
LVSA Mission Statement
The purpose of Literacy Volunteers Serving Adults/Northern Delaware, Inc. (LVSA) is
to help adults improve literacy skills and thereby realize their potential to be
confident, self-sufficient, and productive employees and community members. We
deliver services and programs in reading, writing, English language, math, work-
place, and computer skills. LVSA works to create public understanding of the impact
of illiteracy and advocates for literacy solutions.
LVSA Staff
Cynthia E. Shermeyer
Executive Director
Literacy Volunteers Serving Adults/Northern Delaware, Inc.
Alyssa M. Almond Post Office Box 2083, Wilmington, DE 19899
Program Coordinator
LVSA Headquarters and Administrative Offices
Cathy Opdenaker
Administrative
Wilmington Library
Assistant 10th and Market Streets
Wilmington, DE 19801
Board of Directors Phone: 302-658-5624
2009-2010 Fax: 302-654-9132
Arthur W. Ritchie, Chair Adult Literacy Learning Center
Bob Hurka, Treasurer Woodlawn Library
Michael F. Morgan 2020 W. 9th Street
Patrick Francis Morris
Victoria M. Novak
Wilmington, DE 19805
Deborah Pyle
Carolyn A. Thoroughgood, Ph.D E-Mail: litvolunteers@verizon.net
Lisa Wagner www.litvolunteers.org