News
Even Helpers Need Help
The nonprofit industry is the third-largest in America. In Oklahoma, nonprofit organizations employ hundreds of people and serve thousands. They provide food for the hungry, safety for the abused, care for our seniors, and shelter for stray pets. They also provide the community with entertainment, art, trails, gyms, libraries, medical centers, parks, emergency services, places of worship, and much more. Without nonprofits, Oklahoma would be a pretty dull place to live.
We support our favorite nonprofits because we care about the issues they’re addressing and believe the work they’re doing is making a difference. We’re fans and we’re loyal.
Like all businesses, nonprofits in Oklahoma are struggling right now. They’ve had to reduce or cease services and ask staff to remain at home, yet their expenses continue to mount. And some, like those serving seniors, providing hunger relief, or offering mental health services, have seen a substantial spike in demand for their services during the virus crisis.
We must remember, most nonprofits don’t make products or sell services to derive income. They rely wholly, or in part, on donations from people like you and me. Many have little to no reserve funds because supporters often put pressure on them to use all the money they raise to support programming rather than save portions of it (this will surely change).
Money is tight for everyone right now. You may have lost your job, been furloughed, or seen your savings shrink due to a drop on your stock portfolio or 401k. It’s a rough time for everyone.
It’s also a time where it would be easy to look inward and “look out for number one.” But if there was ever a time to look outward and express gratitude to those serving us and our community, this is it.
Therefore, I urge you to make calls or visit the websites of your favorite nonprofits and make a financial gift. By doing so, you’re helping ensure that their services and staff can stay afloat during this time of crisis and be a better position to thrive during the recovery.
Besides a gift, you can support your nonprofit by offering to make phone calls, donate food, shop for seniors, and say prayers. Even sending a note of appreciation or a gift certificate for take-out meals can warm the hearts of staff and make them smile . . . something we all need more of right now. And when the isolation ban is lifted, you can offer to do chores, run errands, or simply offer to volunteer to help them get back on track.
If you’re a major donor, let me encourage you to contact your favorite nonprofits and offer to donate emergency funds or provide zero-interest loans. These funds can help pay for staff wages and health insurance, as well as business expenses, program expenses, and utility bills. It might just be the gift a nonprofit needs to free itself from the financial burdens and anxieties it faces.
The nonprofits in Oklahoma are the cornerstones for much of our culture, fun, and service. In these unsettling times, let’s reassure them with a financial gift and a commitment to help and show them our passion for their success and the well-being of their staff is authentic. In doing so, we’ll keep our nonprofits strong and stable and Oklahoma vibrant.
Moving into 2020
Dear Friend,
As I contemplate the end of 2019, I want to thank you for your support. As a coalition, we are only as strong as our members and partners. We could do nothing without you. Because of our partnership with Tinker Federal Credit Union, your membership, and others like you, we were able to improve literacy in Oklahoma.
In 2019, we furnished 106 full scholarships to our annual conference that provided professional development opportunities to 147 teachers, tutors, staff, and adult learners. We held two regional symposiums (in Tulsa and Altus) to provide training for 48 teachers and tutors.
We recognized adult learners at the Literacy Awards sponsored by Tinker Federal Credit Union and Krueger Charitable Foundation. We partnered with the Oklahoma Department of Libraries’ Literacy Resource Office to host a book signing for the adult learners who contributed to Celebrating our Journey, Volume 11. You could see the glow of accomplishment around the learners!
Thanks to our wonderful partnership with Tinker Federal Credit Union, we were able to financially assist 16 literacy providers. This was used, in part, to:
- offset naturalization service fees for 39 new citizens,
- deliver summer ESL and citizenship classes for an average of 100 adult learners each week,
- supply partial and complete HSE vouchers for 176 people,
- provide teaching materials for literacy, ESL and HSE classes,
- present a volunteer appreciation dinner,
- create professional signage, postcards, and brochures,
- and so much more!
You are the reason we are able to carry out our mission to support literacy efforts statewide. We would never have been able to help so many Oklahomans without the help of our members.
2020 is going to be a full and amazing year for OLC. We have already begun looking ahead and planning. In addition to our annual conference, we will be adding a third regional workshop.
You can join us in making a difference for Oklahomans in 2020 by going here.
Thank you so much,
Keynote Speaker: Chris Zervas
We are pleased to announce that the Keynote Speaker for the 2019 OK Literacy Conference will be Chris Zervas.
“Profound, engaging and fun” are words Chris Zervas’s audiences often use to describe his presentations.
The author of the book, Bomb-Proof Constructive Feedback, his thoughts have also been featured in newspapers, websites, and periodicals such as Entrepreneur.com.
Chris knows the importance of literacy and has worked with Oklahoma Literacy programs in the past. He received his Master’s Degree in Communication from Wheaton College after graduating from the University of Oklahoma as a student/athlete.
He has served two college communication faculties, worked in fundraising for over 10 years and has been trained in conflict resolution by the Administrative office of the courts of the Supreme Court of Oklahoma.
Chris is the co-founder of Baby Builders an infant motor-skill activity program and is principal of Summit Solution Group which provides keynote speaking, training and coaching.
From Army National Guard Bureau, US Bank, and ConocoPhillips to small family owned businesses, Chris helps to improve communication processes, leadership and results.
Chris is a Cherokee Citizen and lives in Oklahoma with his wife and five children.
If you have never heard Chris speak, you will want to attend!
OKC ZOO, METROPOLITAN LIBRARY SYSTEM CONTINUE SUCCESSFUL STATEWIDE LITERACY PROGRAM
Oklahoma library program “Read for Adventure” returns for 2019-2020, providing free admission to OKC Zoo
“Read for Adventure” combines literacy, exploration and fun to create the perfect weekend or summer activity for Oklahoma families – at no cost. To join in, visit your local public library to check out the original children’s book, Our Day at the Zoo. Upon returning the book to the library, you will receive a voucher granting up to four guests free admission to the Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden. The community program was created to promote literacy within families, increase engagement with the outdoors and provide an outlet for invaluable, nature-inspired discoveries.
After a successful 2017 pilot program with Metropolitan Library System, “Read for Adventure” went statewide last year, reaching all 247 public libraries in Oklahoma and resulting in 4,443 vouchers being redeemed for admission to the OKC Zoo. Since each voucher admits up to four people, that means more than 17,500 Oklahomans visited the Zoo at no cost. “Read for Adventure” redemptions came from 54 of Oklahoma’s 77 counties (70%). In March 2019 alone, more than 7,424 guests came to the Zoo as a result of “Read for Adventure”. If half of the redemptions were for children and half for adults, that would translate to an in-kind valuation of $170,000 for the 2018-2019 term.
“We know that literacy is fundamental to understanding the world around us and that understanding is the critical first step toward creating positive change for the future,” said Dwight Lawson, executive director of the Oklahoma City Zoo. “As a conservation organization, the OKC Zoo is dedicated to preserving wildlife and wild places for current and future generations.”
The book at the center of “Read for Adventure”, Our Day at the Zoo, was written by Kristin Williamson and illustrated by Rick George, both Metro Library staff members. Story concepts stemmed from a field trip to the OKC Zoo by Positive Tomorrows, a school for students experiencing homelessness. The children toured the Zoo and talked about the animals they saw and what they were doing. A theme evolved from their conversations: If I were a zoo animal, this is what I would do!
“Read for Adventure” begins today, May 1, 2019, and continues through March 31, 2020. Zoo ticket vouchers are valid through March 31, 2020. To find a public library near you, click here.
Go wild this summer with the “Read for Adventure” program and experience your own day at the Zoo! The Zoo is a proud member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the American Alliance of Museums, Oklahoma City’s Adventure District and an Adventure Road partner. Hours of operation are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Regular admission is $11 for adults and $8 for children ages 3-11 and seniors ages 65 and over. Children two and under are admitted free. Stay up-to-date with the Zoo on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and by visiting the Zoo’s Blog. To learn more about these and other happenings, call (405) 424-3344 or visit okczoo.org.
COABE Adult Learner of the Year: Kenneth Ludolph
It is with great pleasure that COABE announces Kenneth Ludolph as the winner of this year’s Adult Learner of the Year Award.
In February of 2018, Kenneth Lee Ludolph, Jr. was transferred from the Oklahoma State Reformatory to an Oklahoma City halfway house. On his first Saturday evening, he heard an announcement for the GED® students to go to class. Although he wasn’t yet enrolled, he ran to join the others. Kenneth had been attending a GED® class at his former location and had been disappointed to leave that dream behind when he was transferred. He was excited to learn that he could continue to pursue his goal. It wasn’t long before Kenneth secured a job at a restaurant which required him to work evenings and kept him from attending his new class. Upon learning about the situation and Kenneth’s high entrance scores, the coordinator offered to tutor him during the day. Their tutoring sessions were limited, but Kenneth spent countless hours independently studying. Two months after running to that first class at the halfway house, Kenneth passed his high school equivalency test and achieved his goal.
With the high school equivalency under his belt, new doors of opportunity began to open. Kenneth attended the learning center’s Career Success class where he earned a Certificate of Work Ethic Proficiency. He was honored at the annual OCCC Student Awards ceremony that recognizes the two most outstanding high school equivalency students. Three days after his
release from the halfway house Kenneth began college, majoring in automotive technology. In September, Kenneth was honored again as the 2018 Adult Learner of the Year at the Oklahoma Literacy Coalition Conference. By the end of the fall term, Kenneth had completed 20 college credits with a 3.7 GPA—accomplishing this while working 35 hours per week. Kenneth has always stood out as a leader. After experiencing a four-hour trip home from class after his bike had a flat tire, he carried a spare inner tube and gladly shared the tube with a stranger who was experiencing the same calamity. Another time, he purchased parts and repaired a single mom’s car. Kenneth hopes to have his own shop where he can continue to serve people in need. Kenneth has the kind of humble and teachable spirit that makes a teacher’s job enjoyable. He has proven that perseverance pays off and that faith and hope are available for all who choose to reach out for it. Kenneth chose to leave behind his previous trouble and work toward doing something meaningful with his life. COABE wishes Kenneth all the best as he pursues his dreams!
Teaching Dyslexic Learners
Tuesday Training Webinar —Teaching Dyslexic Learners
April 2 at 1:30 p.m.ؙ—Mark your calendar and spread the word!
Monica Clarke will conduct Part 1 of a two-part webinar for tutors, trainers, and program directors.
Ms. Clarke is a Dyslexia Specialist and owner/CEO of CodeBreakers, LLC. CodeBreakers goal is to foster an understanding of dyslexia in the community by providing education, resources, assessment, remediation, and advocacy for education professionals, families and individuals with dyslexia.
Everyone interested in providing instruction for adult learners
Description and Goals
Participants will learn how to better identify their dyslexic learners and select appropriate interventions and strategies. This presentation will identify characteristics of programs and methods that are research and evidence based for working with students with dyslexia.
By the end of the session
After attending this webinar, educators will be able to identify students who may be at-risk for dyslexia, understand the impact of dyslexia on their students, recognize which programs and strategies will have the greatest result with dyslexic learners and be able to discuss their understanding of dyslexia with colleagues and their student’s families.
Register now with Rebecca.
Learn About Resources Available to Caregivers & Seniors
(SAPULPA, OK – February 6, 2019) Free workshop offered in Sapulpa on March 5
Join Creek County Literacy Program on Tuesday, March 5 at 1:00 PM for a free workshop entitled Learn About Resources Available to Caregivers & Seniors. Open to the public, this informative workshop will be held at Creek County Literacy Program, 15 North Poplar Street in Sapulpa.
During the workshop, Caregiver Program Coordinator Martha Rains, Morton Comprehensive Health Services, Inc., will share information about resources available to Caregivers and seniors in the Creek County area. “We will discuss the many resources that are available to caregivers and seniors – many of these are not widely known about, and many are no-cost,” shared Rains. “We will discuss how to access these resources and handouts will be available.”
Learn About Resources Available to Caregivers & Seniorsis a health literacy outreach project of Creek County Literacy Program, the Oklahoma Department of Libraries, with funding provided by the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) and the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
For more information or to register for this free workshop, please call 918-224-9647.
Learn About and Execute a Living Will
Join Creek County Literacy Program on Tuesday, January 15 at 11:00 am for a free workshop on Living Wills, also known as Advance Directives for Health Care. Open to the public, this informative workshop will be held at Creek County Literacy Program, 15 North Poplar Street in Sapulpa.
The Oklahoma Advance Directive for Health Care is a form created by the Oklahoma Statutes that allows individuals to:
• instruct your attending physician whether or not you wish to be given life-sustaining treatments and artificially administered food and water and to give other medical directions that impact end of life,
• appoint a health care proxy (such as your spouse or adult child) to make whatever medical treatment decisions you could make if you were able,
• direct donation of all of some of your organs as anatomical gifts.
Oklahoma Statutory Advance Directive forms will be provided at no cost to workshop attendees who can execute them at the workshop if they wish.
The workshop will be led by John Lieber, who is an Oklahoma attorney and registered nurse.
Learn About and Execute a Living Will is a health literacy outreach project of Creek County Literacy Program, the Oklahoma Department of Libraries, with funding provided by the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) and the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
For more information or to register for this free workshop, please call 918-224-9647.
For more information: Learn About and Execute a Living Will
AmazonSmile
What is AmazonSmile?
AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support Oklahoma Literacy Coalition (OLC) every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop at smile.amazon.com, you’ll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate 0.5% of the purchase price to Oklahoma Literacy Coalition.
How do I shop at AmazonSmile?
To shop at AmazonSmile simply go to smile.amazon.com from the web browser on your computer or mobile device. You may also want to add a bookmark to smile.amazon.com to make it even easier to return and start your shopping at AmazonSmile.
Which products on AmazonSmile are eligible for charitable donations?
Tens of millions of products on AmazonSmile are eligible for donations. You will see eligible products marked “Eligible for AmazonSmile donation” on their product detail pages. Recurring Subscribe-and-Save purchases and subscription renewals are not currently eligible.
Can I use my existing Amazon.com account on AmazonSmile?
Yes, you use the same account on Amazon.com and AmazonSmile. Your shopping cart, Wish List, wedding or baby registry, and other account settings are also the same.
How do I select OLC when shopping on AmazonSmile?
On your first visit to AmazonSmile smile.amazon.com, you need to select Oklahoma Literacy Coalition to receive donations from eligible purchases before you begin shopping. They will remember your selection, and then every eligible purchase you make at smile.amazon.com will result in a donation to OLC.
Keynote Speaker: Monica Clarke
The Oklahoma Literacy Coalition is thrilled to announce that our Keynote Speaker this year will be dyslexia expert Monica Clarke. After the keynote address, Breaking Down Barriers, Monica will be presenting on three different aspects of dyslexia: Dispelling the Myths, Identifying At-risk Students and Interventions that Work!