[NLA] Press Release: The Merger of Laubach Literacy and LVA

[MTAIT]

CONTACT:   Bethel House Kogut, (bkogut at proliteracy.org)
		(315) 422-9121, Ext. 353

OR:  		Tracy Carman (tcarman at proliteracy.org)
		(315) 422-9121, Ext. 374


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

LITERACY GIANTS MERGE TO FORM
PROLITERACY WORLDWIDE

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, October 1, 2002-The merger of the world's two largest
adult volunteer literacy organizations is complete and Laubach Literacy
International and Literacy Volunteers of America, Inc. have become
ProLiteracy Worldwide.

ProLiteracy Worldwide has programs in 45 developing countries as well as in
the U.S. where it represents some 1,450 adult volunteer literacy
organizations.  ProLiteracy serves more than 350,000 adult new learners
around the world each year.  Its purpose is to sponsor educational programs
and services to empower adults and their families by assisting them to
acquire the literacy practices and skills they need to function more
effectively in their daily lives and participate in the transformation of
their societies. ProLiteracy's publishing division, New Readers Press,
produces and distributes approximately 500 titles of adult educational books
and materials to literacy organizations, schools, libraries, and other
institutions nationwide.  New Readers Press also publishes News for You, a
weekly newspaper for adult new readers, which is read by 90,000 adult
learners.

According to Robert Wedgeworth, president of ProLiteracy Worldwide, "This
merger will bring incalculable benefits to the programs and people we serve
around the world. Our goals are first and foremost to raise public awareness
of the adult literacy cause and
-MORE-
Literacy Giants Merge to Form ProLiteracy Worldwide -2

to influence public policy and funding.  ProLiteracy Worldwide will make a
substantial
contribution to improving adult literacy during UNESCO's Decade of Literacy,
2003-2012."

"A merger of this scale and scope is unprecedented in the literacy field,"
said Marsha L. Tait, senior vice president of programs and services and
former president of Literacy Volunteers of America, Inc.  "Until now
literacy advocates have not spoken with one voice on behalf of adult
learners-either internationally or domestically."

In the United States, one in four adults function at the lowest literacy
level. Abroad, more than 877 million adults are functionally illiterate.
Adults with low literacy skills experience social, economic, and personal
challenges that compromise their abilities to support themselves, to help
their children in school, and to fully participate in society.

Laubach Literacy International was founded in 1955 by world literacy pioneer
Dr. Frank C. Laubach and Literacy Volunteers of America, Inc. was founded by
Ruth Colvin in Syracuse, New York, in 1962.


Marsha L. Tait
Senior Vice President of Programs and Services
ProLiteracy Worldwide
Chair, National Coalition for Literacy
1320 Jamesville Ave.
Syracuse,  NY  13210
315-422-9121 X322
http://www.proliteracy.org
http://www.natcoalitionliteracy.org/


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