Cape Fear Literacy Council (CFLC) can only do our good work with the support of our donors! In this profile, we are honored to feature a few CFLC donors who share our organization’s vision for a community in which all adults have the literacy and language skills they need to succeed. Their reasons for and ways of giving are as unique as the paths that led them to the Literacy Council.
 
Patricia:
"As I was growing up, our house was full of books and magazines on every imaginable topic. I think I got my first library card when I was still in kindergarten. Reading — and wonderful teachers — helped me become a decent writer, which in turn led to a varied career in nonprofits and government. 
 
“Shortly after my husband and I moved to Wilmington in 2007, I joined the CFLC board. I saw first-hand how the dedicated work of the staff and volunteers helped so many people in our community. 
 
“I am proud to support CFLC as an inaugural member of the Literacy Trust, by attending events, donating gifts of appreciated stocks, and including the Literacy Council in my estate plan. I know my support will help CFLC provide quality programs to anyone in our community who comes to its doors."
 
Anne:
Anne is a tutor, Literacy Trust member, and board member overseeing our Amazon bookstore project. She is involved in every level of our organization, from weekly instruction to long-term strategic thinking. 
 
Early in her career, Anne leveraged her employer’s Matching Gifts program to double her impact. She and her husband said, “Our charitable donation strategy changed over the years. Now, we focus on local nonprofits providing education, human services, and global disaster relief.”
 
Ever strategic, the couple consolidated their assets to one financial provider and added a Charitable Donor-Advised Fund account, simplifying fund transfer, tracking, and tax reporting for charitable donations. Anne says, “The simplicity is great, and it’s very rewarding to view our contributions in one report.”
 
Edna:
Edna is from Brazil and has studied English at CFLC for five years. She participates in traditional ESL classes, the Living Language Lab (for conversational English), and one-on-one tutoring for U.S. Citizenship preparation.
 
While all instruction is free for our learners, Edna decided to donate to CFLC when she saw a request on social media, and she has made frequent donations since then. She said, “It is free and quality teaching. I choose to give money because I am here many times to learn English. I want to help with the costs, like paper and pencils, because you do so much to help immigrants.”
 
Edna enjoys learning English from caring instructors and has a community of friends because of CFLC. Reflecting on her belief in the Literacy Council, Edna said, “I get emotional. It is difficult to come to a new country. I am older and do not have family here. My husband works long hours. I am grateful for the nice people [at CFLC] – this is where I have made friends. I am very happy here.”
 
Champions of Literacy
These donors – like all of our supporters – understand the impact and importance of the Literacy Council. They are champions of our programs! There are many ways to make an impactful contribution to Cape Fear Literacy Council’s programs:

• Trained and certified volunteer tutors aid program staff in providing direct educational services to adult learners.
• Engagement volunteers work with staff to raise awareness, recruit new volunteers, and coordinate fundraisers and other events.
• Auxiliary volunteers give their time to support us with bulk mailings, covering reception, and other administrative efforts.
• Every dollar donated to CFLC fuels the learning journey of an adult in our community and helps us provide the resources our students need to succeed.

 
If you want to make a difference in Wilmington and beyond, nonprofit giving is a great way to get involved! You can help to improve the lives of others and make our community a better place. 
 
How does Cape Fear Literacy Council support adults? We offer FREE literacy and language instruction to adults in our community, including reading, writing, English conversation, math, test preparation, U.S. Citizenship, and digital literacy. Each year we serve hundreds of adults from 18 to 88 (and beyond!) who come to us with unique and inspiring stories about life, determination, and the goals they want to achieve.
 
 The Cape Fear Literacy Council is an award-winning 501(c)3 nonprofit organization founded in 1985. Our vision is a community where all adults have the literacy and language skills to succeed. Learn more: cfliteracy.org.