ReadWest

Readwest is an Adult Literacy Program serving students from Rio Rancho and Albuquerque’s Westside. 85% of our students are seeking to learn English as a second language, but only about ½ of these speak Spanish. 80% of our students have incomes below the poverty line. 74% are women.

Statistics say that 41% of the population in Sandoval county would test below the literacy level that is necessary for 2/3rds of all the jobs. The inability to communicate in English isolates these people from the community, making it hard to locate services that might help them. Being unable to read and write makes it impossible for them to advance in their employment, trapping people in a cycle of poverty. Their children do not do as well in public school, and are less likely to graduate, because they receive less help at home.

To accomplish our mission we recruit volunteer tutors who receive 18 hours of training. Then they are matched with students who set their own goals, such as "to read to my child", or "speak better English", or "get my GED". We have over 200 volunteer tutors helping over 300 students learn to read and write.

For more information contact us at [email protected] or visit our website www.readwest.org .