Florida Sentinel Bulletin

Vol. 59, No. 53

Tuesday, March 16, 2004

Donations Help Adult Literacy Program Increase Services

By GWENDOLYN HAYES, Sentinel Editor

      Michelle Tate-Martin has a passion for helping adults who have a desire to read. Statistics that say 1 out of 4 adults 16 years old and older read below the 4^th grade level are unacceptable to her. And, she did something about it. She founded I Can…Adult Literacy Outreach Programs, Inc.

      Donations and grants from businesses, individuals, government and agencies help to keep non-profit organizations like I Can… operating. A $23,000 grant recently from the Verizon Foundation is being used to equip the Intensive Literacy and Workforce Development Center with more education materials.

      The learning center opened September 8, 2003. I Can began offering its free classes in a new location in the fall. The new location is an 8-room suite donated by the LaTourneau Executive Center, 5118 56^th St., Suite 130.

      Mrs. Tate-Martin began pursuing adult literacy as her higher calling in 1995. She had spent 10 years in state government in Tallahassee, a career that began at Florida A&M University as a journalism intern student in the Press Office of former Governor Bob Graham.

      Working in the Department of Education during her last 5 years in Tallahassee, Mrs. Tate-Martin, developed a deeper interest in adult education.

      After coming to Tampa in 1996, Mrs. Tate-Martin began volunteering at an adult learning center. She was later named the director and went on to several other positions before founding I Can…Adult Literacy Outreach Program, Inc., which became incorporated in 2002.

      “I Can… serves as a positive affirmation and an academic goal statement for students who have spent much of their lives saying ‘I can’t read.’ The three dots symbolize her commitment to provide students additional skills such as writing, math, workforce and life skills,” she said.

      More than 40 adults have enrolled in the intensive literacy program since September. The attraction to the program seems to be the one-on-one, small group and self-directed learning. Trained teachers and volunteer tutors provide instruction.

      Program hours are 9 a.m. – 12 noon, Monday through Friday; and 6 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday. For additional information, please call (813) 849-5595, or email, icanadultliteracy@yahoo.com.