In 1970, Literacy Volunteers of America  began tutoring adults struggling to read and write. One of those chapters began on Maine’s Midcoast. Fifty-two years later, the local chapter is now Midcoast Literacy and serves Lincoln, Sagadahoc and northern Cumberland counties. 

The Bath-based nonprofit raises about $150,000 per year and depends upon state and federal grants along with support through United Way. But the ongoing pandemic has interrupted nearly every group, organization or nonprofit’s economic plan. Executive Director Richard Brown told Lincoln County commissioners Nov. 16, traditional funding sources, like grants, are drying up.

“More funding is being directed to food and housing. So we are here today to introduce ourselves, and hopefully receive some of the county’s ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funding,” he said. 

Lincoln County is receiving $6.7 million in stimulus funding. Commissioners are reviewing what local projects qualify. “Our motto is improving lives through literacy. We work toward transforming people’s lives through improved literacy with one-on-one tutoring,” Brown said. “We offer seven distinct programs for basic adult literacy which includes basic reading, writing and math skills.”

Midcoast Literacy officials see their work as providing economic opportunity to hundreds of adults and children lacking reading, writing and math skills. Brown described how the one-on-one tutoring provided a service to adults in either doing their current job or helping them find a better one. “We help them learn the job’s vocabulary and vernacular to understand those terms and relate them to their job,” he said.

Midcoast Literacy also provides English as a Second Language assistance. Brown used a Japanese family who needed help with English in securing a bank loan to buy a new restaurant. “They were literate, but needed assistance with banking and business terms,” Brown said.

Midcoast Literacy has 122 tutors, with 27 from Lincoln County.  In 2020, Midcoast Literacy served 12 Lincoln County towns, serving 94 children and 15 adults. Brown was joined by program director Katie Brown and treasurer Dave Damour during the presentation. In recent years, the program has morphed to include tutoring for public school students. 

Midcoast Literacy works with local Head Start programs to bring students who read at or below grade level to parity with their peers. Midcoast Literacy has three programs geared to children’s literacy. One is “Read with Me”; and another is “Read Together.” For students ages 6-14, “Read Together” provides one-on-one tutoring for both native and non-native English speakers with reading, writing and other literacy-related projects.

“Read With Me” is an early childhood program for young children in Head Start and Early Head Start programs. The program provides free books and monthly sessions which include classroom story and collaborative activity time for parents and children together. There is also a summer program which provides free books and reading encouragement for children participating in local summer food and school programs. “One year we provided 2,400 books in the summer,” Brown said. “We ensure children have books during the summer and help them engage in literacy-building activities.”

Another way Midcoast Literacy encourages reading is through “Readers’ Theatre,” where professional actors read from books to an audience of families. Midcoast Literary will contact County Administrator Carie Kipfer about submitting a formal funding request.