North Texas Giving Day, the largest giving day in the nation powered by Communities Foundation of Texas, is back on September 14, 2017! In eight years, North Texas Giving Day has generated $156 million for the community. Learn more about some of the thousands of participating nonprofits here on BubbleLife from now until Giving Day. Read more about today's featured nonprofit, Richardson Adult Literacy Center, below.
More than 19,000 adults in Northern Dallas County don’t speak English well or at all. It’s hard to get a good-paying job if you don’t speak English. It’s tough to support your children’s education if you aren’t able to read a report card. And, like Jose, you can’t pursue your passion of computer programming if you only know Spanish and computer languages.
“I came to the U.S. to live and work without fear. I had a business in my country but, because of the harassment of the mafia, I decided to start my life anew in the U.S.,” shared Jose. Not knowing English, his first job was in construction, laying floors. But this wasn’t his passion or his background.
“I’m a systems engineer and know computer languages,” said Jose. “I like that computers have no borders and no grammar, only syntax,” he remarked.
Jose started taking English as a Second Language classes at the Richardson Adult Literacy Center two years ago. Classes and books are free, since the vast majority of students are low-income adults. For Jose, and thousands of other immigrants and refugees, learning English is the link to achieving their dreams.
After learning English, Jose was able to change jobs. “Now, I have a small store for computer and cell phone repair. Most customers are Spanish speaking.” To pursue his dream in computer programming, Jose knows his English needs to improve. “My principal problem is I don’t speak English well. When I have to speak face-to-face, I freeze. I feel nervous. It’s embarrassing. I need classes to learn English better.”
Donations made through North Texas Giving Day help provide student books, materials, and training and support for volunteer teachers who teach students like Jose. Jose shares what so many other adult students learning English feel: “My ESL classes give me confidence. I have improved, but I want to get better.”
To donate to Richardson Adult Literacy on September 14th, please click here. To find out more about North Texas Giving Day, please visit www.NorthTexasGivingDay.org.
Blog authored by: Katie Patterson, Executive Director, Richardson Adult Literacy Center.