Welcome to the Literacy Resource Center’s Social Services Directory. This tool provides information about a variety of consumer and social services offered in Florida. The directory primarily provides information about state and regional agencies and organizations. If you do not find information you need about programs in your area, we encourage you to contact one of the agencies listed and ask for a local referral.
Please select the topic area you are interested in and hit the “submit” button. The next page will show you all the contacts and phone numbers for that particular topic area. By clicking on one of the contacts, additional information, including website and address will be provided. This directory was made possible through the support of the Florida Department of Education, Division of Career and Adult Education. Special thanks to Florida Division of Consumer services for providing agency/program information.
Click below or copy and paste to get to this website! http://www.floridaliteracy.org/listFSSD.asp
By J. NIELSEN Correspondent Sarasota Herald Tribune
Published: Thursday, August 5, 2010 at 1:00 a.m.
Literacy Council of Manatee County volunteer tutor Verna Urbanski, left, and her student, Alifonso Casique, study inside the Manatee County Central Library.CORRESPONDENT PHOTO / J. NIELSEN
One person at a time, the Literacy Council of Manatee County is improving lives by helping people with their English skills.
According to a National Center for Education Statistics surveys conducted in both 1992 and 2003, nearly 25 percent of people age 16 and older scored on the lowest level of reading proficiency.
There is a need for people like veteran Ann Zimmerman and newcomer Verna Urbanski to become volunteer tutors, providing free help to people who want to learn to read and write.
Zimmerman, 67, moved to Bradenton from St. Louis more than 20 years ago. Almost as soon as she arrived, she volunteered with the Literacy Council.
"You don't just sit one hour a week and do reading; you get involved," she said. "I've done various things when people need help. Even the simplest of things can seem overwhelming for someone not familiar with the language."
Helping people with difficult tasks, such as navigating the quagmire of government bureaucracy to earn their citizenship, is fulfilling for Zimmerman.
"The Literacy Council does a job on a shoestring that is so important to the community," she said. "People that cannot read aren't able to fully participate in the community. We have a lot of immigrants in this area, and they need to know how to communicate."
Her reason for helping others is simple.
"As a child, I lived in a very small town," Zimmerman said. "There was no television. I grew up reading. I got to thinking about how much I enjoy reading, so I decided there's no reason I can't teach someone how to read."
Urbanski, 61, moved to the area from Springfield, Mass., in 2000. She began volunteering about seven months ago.
"I was looking for something to do on the weekend," she said. "I thought it would be a good fit."
Her reason for volunteering?
"I work for the Women's Resource Center in Sarasota County," Urbanski said. "I see the impact we can have on people."
Urbanski was partnered with Alifonso Casique, who waited for two years to be a assigned to a tutor.
In addition to books supplied by the Literacy Council, Urbanski bought her own tutorial books to help Casique.
Focusing primarily on vocabulary during a recent study session, Urbanski also addressed the rudiments of grammar in addition to suffix and prefix work.
"He likes to be challenged," she said.
Examples of the evening's spelling words were "imagine," "sandwich" and "paragraph."
Beside Casique was a new book. He recently began reading Jules Verne's "A Journey to the Center of the Earth." He recently finished reading Verne's "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea."
"I let him choose his books to read," Urbanski said.
Casique, originally from near Mexico City, has been in the United States for 11 years and works full time in masonry. He and his wife have three young boys, ages 4, 6 and 10.
"Four months ago, my children had no interest in me reading them a book," Casique said. "But now they come to me asking 'Poppy will you read me a book?'"
And that is rewarding for his tutor.
"He's a good student," Urbanski said. "He's prepared. He's not wasting my time, and there are many more like him out there. He wants to learn."
As a follow up, I wanted to let you know that our website: http://www.citizenshipstudyguide.com has transitioned to a completely free site. There is no longer a user/login or member requirement and all study pages, flashcards, questions and quizzes for US citizenship preparation, in both English and Spanish, are now completely accessible to anyone who accesses the site. This resource can now be used not only jointly by the tutor/instructor but also by the student independently, 24/7.
DON'T HAVE TIME TO MAKE IT TO CLASS? ONLINE COURSES MAY BE RIGHT FOR YOU!
FATDEC,Florida Adult and Technical Distance Education Consortium, a group of public schools, school districts, and community colleges who are working together to deliver curriculum in a web-based environment for adult education and career technical programs in Florida's postsecondary public institutions.
Benefits of Online Courses
Many courses are free
Make your own schedule; 24/7 access
Work with a certified instructor by email, chat, discussion boards and phone conferences
Current courses include adult high school and career/ technical education
For complete information go to http://www.fatdec.com/
From August 2009 to April 2010, the following adult learners have successfully passed the citizenship tests and been sworn in as American citizens! Congratulations to Maria Virgina Tafur, (Tutor Lucille Bauer); Pilar Mendieta (Tutor Becky Young); Hans Artica (Tutor Judy Clay) Ana Beatriz Chavez (Tutor Maurice DeCoster)...; Monica Stein (Tutor Ann Zimmerman) and Shanaz Nafisi (tutor Binnie Thom)!!! (In picture: Shanaz and Lori Johnson, Executive Director of the Literacy Council of Manatee County.)
The Bradenton Central Community Redevelopment Agency is offering financial education workshops to help people and their families reach their personal financial goals. The classes are free but participants are urged to register. Call (941) 744-2362 ext. 103 to register or for more information.
Cash Flow Management: Your Checking Account
6-8 p.m. Tuesday, April 20
Learn how to understand and effectively manage cash flow, learn the various elements of a checking account, and receive guidance on ways that cash flow and smart checking can help you achieve financial wellness.
Credit Management Workshop
6-8 p.m. Thursday, April 22
Learn about credit, how you affect your credit score, how to manage credit, how to establish or re-establish credit, what makes smart credit choices, learn the advantages and disadvantages of credit card use, and more.
Surviving on Reduced Income: Introduction to Savings Workshop
6-8 p.m. Thursday, April 29
Learn how to develop a realistic personal budget, understand the various elements of a savings account, and learn how to create new ways to make sound financial decisions.
The AARP Tax Aid Program and the IRS VITA Program are teaming up to provide free tax preparation for seniors and working families at sites throughout the Manatee County.
Each year, too many families eligible to receive Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) dollars do not because they don’t know how to claim the credit. Tax preparers at AARP and VITA sites are trained to help taxpayers make the most of their return through all available credits.
Tropicana Federal Credit Union is making Rapid Refunds through Refund Anticipation Loans available at deposit accounts at the credit union for participants taking advantage of this Free Tax Preparation Service.
Site locations are as follows:
Central Community Redevelopment Agency Manatee Central Library Braden River Library Freedom Village - By Appointment only (798-8935) Colony Cove Recreation Center State College of Florida (Formerly MCC) Kirkwood Presbyterian Church Harllee Full Service Center Manatee Central Library - Monday and Friday, 9-2 Braden River Library - Wednesday and Friday, 12-3 FreedomVillage - Tuesdays 9-12, By Appointment only (798-8935) ColonyCoveRecreationCenter - Monday and Friday, 9-2 State College of Florida (Formerly MCC) - Thursday and Friday, 1-4 Kirkwood Presbyterian Church - Thursday and Friday, 9-3 Harllee Full Service Center - Saturdays 10-1
Call 2-1-1 or 308-4357 for more information on locations and times and schedule changes throughout the county!
Call the United Way Community Helpline at 2-1-1 or 308-4357 to find times, days, and schedule changes.
For more information on the program, call Henry at the CCRA at (941)744-2362.
