Literacy Council Frederick County

Classes for Students - Virtual
2021-01-06 09:00 - 2021-03-31 17:00 (America/New_York) | MD
The Literacy Council offers small group classes to help adults learn to read, write and speak English. We have conversation classes at beginning and more advanced levels, pronunciation, beginning literacy and conversation, writing, civics, and beginning reading and phonics.
Currently, we are offering a limited number of virtual classes on Zoom.
If you are interested in registering for classes, contact the Literacy Council at (301) 600-2066 or email staff@frederickliteracy.org
You can see descriptions of the classes along with the current class schedule by going to this page. The times and days of the classes vary, and the class schedule will give you the specific dates and times of each.

2021 Unity Campaign
2021-03-10 - 2021-03-21 | MD
The Literacy Council is again honored to be one of 31 nonprofit organizations participating in the Unity Campaign for Frederick County, hosted by United Way of Frederick County. The Unity Campaign supports the over one in three households in Frederick County that struggle to afford basic human necessities! This year’s campaign will specifically focus on funding programs directly supporting the health, education, and financial stability of ALICE (Asset-Limited, Income-Constrained, Employed) households that have been adversely impacted by COVID-19. Together, we can make a huge difference!
To donate online to the Literacy Council, please visit our Unity Campaign page. Or download the Mail-in Donation Form to send a check. You may also donate by texting Unity202144 to 71777.
The majority of fundraising will take place during the “12 Days of Giving” which begins on March 10th and continues through March 21st. The campaign is currently running and accepting donations! Please consider donating by designating the Literacy Council of Frederick County or by supporting the campaign as a whole. Matching funds will provide more bang for your donated bucks!
The Unity Campaign is a collaborative project between nonprofit partners, sponsors, and the greater Frederick community to support our most vulnerable neighbors by giving to a nonprofit organization of their choice. Through the generosity of our Incentive Match sponsors, 100% of your contribution goes directly to the designated Nonprofit. In addition, your individual gift is boosted because a portion of your donation is matched by the sponsors.
The Unity Campaign raises critical financial support necessary to provide literacy programs by providing an efficient and community-wide platform to increase awareness and much-needed funds that support our tutoring, community classes, workplace and parent literacy programs.
Literacy is the basis for success in all other areas of life. It enables people to gain better employment to provide food, clothing, shelter and health care for themselves and their families.

And the children of literate parents are much more likely to succeed in school.

The 2018 Frederick Community Assessment Report conducted by the Frederick County Community Foundation identified several common stressors that negatively impacted the well-being of families. These include financial hardship, housing and food instability, health issues and lack of affordable childcare. Illiteracy compounds each of these stressors, erecting a barrier that severely limits the financial options of a family. While these are multifaceted and complex issues, adult literacy is the one factor that can have a positive impact across the board.
Visit http://www.unityfrederick.com/ to learn more about the campaign.

Scrabble Mania for Literacy 2021
2021-05-15 | MD
REGISTRATION IS OPEN! Join us on Saturday, May 15, 2021 for our SCRABBLE® Mania for Literacy virtual event. This year’s event will look a little different, but you still get to play as a team for the benefit of the Literacy Council of Frederick County and have FUN, all while supporting adult literacy programs in our community! This year, we are excited to partner with Surelocked In Escape Games in Frederick!
See below to register online or by mail.
Early Bird Registration opens on April 1st!
COME JOIN US FOR …

Fast-paced Scrabble® play for Teams*
Please note: each team MUST provide own Scrabble® board. If you don’t have one, support local by buying one from Dancing Bear Toys and Gifts (see details below)**
Suggested appetizer & meal options (see details below!)
Online Auction opens on May 15 (see details below): https://www.biddingowl.com/LiteracyCouncilFrederick
Door prize drawing!!
Sponsor opportunities available

DATE: Saturday, May 15, 2021 with two opportunities to play! Your choice of afternoon or evening:
2-5:00 p.m. or 6-9:00 p.m.
REGISTRATION FEE: $30/team*. Early Bird Discount: Register by April 15, 2021 and take advantage of the Early Bird discount price of $25/team. Starting April 16 the price will be $30/team.

*Each team or household will receive one login to virtual event, this login cannot be shared with other individuals.
If you are the person registering your team, you will be the “Team Captain” which just means you will be our point of contact prior to, and during the event.
You DON’T need to know all of your team members when you register but if you do know, please list their names and email addresses during registration.
You will be given a chance to list your teammates at a later date so we can keep everyone in the loop and a chance to win door prizes. 100% of your registration fees will be a donation to the Literacy Council.
Family play is encouraged, but each team must have at least one adult 18 or older as the team captain/host
Help spread the word to more family and friends! Please share this FLYER

**Scrabble games are available for purchase at Dancing Bear Toys and Gifts , located at 15 E. Patrick Street, Frederick. A % of sales between April 15 – May 15 will benefit the Literacy Council. Use this link to place your order: https://dbeartoys.com/products/games/tile-lock-scrabble
REGISTER YOUR TEAM ONLINE through SureLocked In Escape Games

Register HERE to purchase your ticket to play at 2:00 p.m.
Register HERE to purchase your ticket to play at 6:00 p.m.

Please book by Team, not by person. You will only need to book one ticket for your whole team to play!
REGISTER YOUR TEAM BY MAIL
ADDITIONAL EVENT DETAILS:
This is a virtual event. Scrabble teams* will play from the team’s home or other single physical location on Zoom using the team’s own Scrabble board**. Each team will be provided with rules and scoring sheets that can be picked up from our office in downtown Frederick, or we will include links to print them in advance when you receive your Zoom invitation. Contact us at info@frederickliteracy.org or (301) 600-2066 to arrange to pick up your team’s “swag bag” before Saturday, May 15!
Scrabble play will be led by Frederick’s very own Surelocked In Escape Games. The event will include a welcome, sponsor recognition, introduction of teams, explanation of the rules, two rounds of Scrabble games, door prize drawing, prizes for winning teams, an online auction which will go live on May 15, and lots of fun!
ONLINE AUCTION:
Over 80 items available through our online auction, including wine tastings and tours, travel and entertainment, themed baskets, restaurant gift certificates, crafts, clothing, art & collectibles, health and wellness items, subscriptions, books, and MORE!
Preview items at: https://www.biddingowl.com/LiteracyCouncilFrederick
Instructions to set up your Bidding Owl Bidder Account are provided HERE.
SUGGESTED APPETIZER & MEAL OPTIONS:
Support our local Downtown Frederick restaurants!
Due to COVID-19 precautions, we decided to give you flexibility in making your plans for appetizers or meal choices AND we want to take this opportunity to support our local restaurants. Appetizer and meal options are available by contacting the following restaurants in advance. These restaurants participate with the Literacy Council to provide workplace English classes for their employees. Teams should order and pay for their food directly with the restaurant of their choice. (Please note: Costs are not included in the team registration fee and the Literacy Council will not be receiving any profit from the sales). We just want to support local when possible!
Brewer’s Alley, 124 N. Market Street, Frederick (301) 631-0089 (Toast online ordering)
Firestone’s Culinary Tavern, 109 N. Market Street, Frederick (301) 663-0330
Isabella’s Tavern & Bar, 44 N. Market Street, Frederick (301) 698-8922 (Toast online ordering)
Pistarro’s Ristorante Pizzeria Napoletana, 221 N. East Street, Frederick (301) 378-9536 (Toast online ordering)
Sumittra Thai Cuisine 12 E. Patrick Street, Downtown Frederick (301) 668-2302
QUESTIONS? Call the Literacy Council at (301) 600-2066 or info@frederickliteracy.org
SPONSORSHIPS AVAILABLE:
Double Letter Sponsor: $100 – Basic Benefits & 1 team registration*
Triple Letter Sponsor: $200 – Basic Benefits & Team Registration (2 team registrations*)
Double Word Sponsor: $500 – Basic Benefits & Team Registration (4 team registrations*), half-page ad & more!
Triple Word Sponsor: $1,000 – Basic Benefits & Table Registration (6 team registrations*), full-page ad & more!
SEE SPONSOR BENEFITS AND DETAILS!
REGISTER ONLINE TO BECOME A SPONSOR!
MANY THANKS TO OUR WONDERFUL SPONSORS!
Can’t join us this year? Please consider making a charitable donation to support adult literacy programs.
Thank you for supporting adult literacy programs in Frederick County!

Volunteer Information Session - Virtual Zoom Call
2021-09-13 15:00 - 16:00, 2021-10-13 10:00 - 11:00, 2021-10-26 19:00 - 20:00 | MD
Come learn about the Literacy Council, and get information on the ways to volunteer and what volunteering involves. You will learn about our programs, who we serve, and how you can help.
All sessions are currently being offered as Zoom calls. An email will be sent with specific instructions following online registration.

Volunteer Information Session - Virtual Zoom Call
2021-11-03 19:00 - 20:00, 2021-11-17 15:00 - 16:00, 2021-11-29 19:00 - 20:00, 2023-05-04 19:00 - 20:00, 2023-06-07 11:00 - 12:00 | MD
Come learn about the Literacy Council, and get information on the ways to volunteer and what volunteering involves. You will learn about our programs, who we serve, and how you can help.

Volunteer Appreciation Event 2021
2021-11-12 12:00 - 14:00 | Literacy Council of Frederick County, MD, United States
COME JOIN US FOR A CURBSIDE
FUNNEL CAKE THANK YOU!!
Friday, November 12th Between 12 noon – 2 p.m.!!
CURBSIDE THANK YOU: Calling all Literacy Council volunteers, come join us on Friday afternoon, November 12th anytime between 12:00 noon – 2:00 p.m. for a special thank you for all your amazing support during the past two years since our last in-person Celebration of Achievements in June 2019! No RSVPs or pre-registration needed!!
Earlier this fall, we cancelled planning for an in-person gathering due to public health concerns with COVID, but we still want to safely thank you in person!!
COME ENJOY …

A special treat for you — freshly cooked hot funnel cakes and toppings of your choice, courtesy of the Literacy Council.
Served “to go” between 12 noon – 2 p.m. by Funnel Fare’s food truck! Please note: funnel cakes will be served at a table from outside our side entrance, you don’t need to go to the truck.
Curbside meet and greet, and personal thank you from members of our Board of Directors
We have some special appreciation items for you (you have to wait and see!)

LOCATION: Literacy Council’s Office (outside our side entrance)
110 E. Patrick Street, Frederick, MD
Questions: Tel: (301) 600-2066 or info@frederickliteracy.org
See our map location HERE.
DRIVE UP CURBSIDE:

Pull up curbside in the roundabout driveway in front of the C. Burr Artz Library public entrance – pull through up next to our door and we can serve you curbside and present you with your special items.
We will have tables set up outside our door or under the covered walkway (in the event of inclement weather) and our Board Members can greet you and Funnel Fare will bring your funnel cake to your car.
Be careful! Please do not get out of your vehicle unless it is safe to do so! (be aware of vehicles pulling through from the library)
We are asking that everyone wear masks so we all stay safe!

PARK & WALK TO OUR ENTRANCE:

Park at The Carroll Creek Parking Garage next to the C. Burr Artz Library: 44 East Patrick Street, Frederick (next to the C. Burr Artz Library. Entrances are accessible from the first block of East Patrick Street and off of the first block of South Market Street).
You can validate your parking pass at the checkout counter of the library for up to two hours inside the public entrance after you leave from the Literacy Council (we okayed this with the library!)
We will have tables set up outside our door or under the covered walkway (in the event of inclement weather) and our Board Members will be ready to greet you!
Funnel Fare will be serving freshly made funnel cakes at one of the tables
Be careful crossing the driveway!
We are asking that everyone wear masks so we all stay safe!

CAN’T JOIN US NEXT FRIDAY?
If you are unable to stop by next Friday …

Weeks of November 15 – 24: Let us know when you can stop by our lobby M-F between 9 a.m. – 4 p.m., and we will have your special items ready for you (sorry, minus the funnel cakes). We are closed on Thursday and Friday, November 25 & 26
After December 1st we will plan to mail your items to you

If you haven’t already enjoyed our tribute to you earlier this year for Volunteer Appreciation Week in April, please enjoy this special tribute and videos!

In April we highlighted three characteristics that stand out among so many others … your compassion, your perseverance, and your generosity of spirit. We hope you enjoy our special tribute to YOU, our Literacy Council superheroes, who Lift Lives through Literacy, every day. To view all the videos together, go to our post: Volunteer Appreciation Week

Thank you for your compassion, dedication and service to our students
and their families through your work as a Literacy Council volunteer.
You are our superheroes and YOU are helping Literacy Lift Lives.

Holiday Book Drive 2021
2021-11-15 - 2021-12-13 | MD
The Literacy Council’s Annual Holiday Book Drive begins Monday, November 15, 2021. The Literacy Council of Frederick County is partnering with Curious Iguana for our Annual Holiday Book Drive to provide new books for elementary school aged children (PreK through 5th grade). Last year, over 3,000 books were donated!
While the Literacy Council serves adult literacy needs, providing appealing, age-appropriate books to children fosters literacy at a young age and helps to break the cycle of low literacy in families. The books will be given to parents of children in elementary school who are participating in the Literacy Council’s tutoring, parent literacy, workplace, or class instruction programs. The Literacy Council works directly with the Judy Center and Butterfly Ridge, Hillcrest, Lincoln, and Waverley Elementary Schools to provide tutoring at the schools for parents whose children attend these schools, and many of our other students also have young children with whom to share the books.
Suggestions for younger grades include: board books, picture books (fiction and nonfiction), early chapter books; and for older grades: mid-grade chapter books, paperback series, graphic novels, and STEM titles.
To participate in the Holiday Book Drive, you may purchase and donate books between November 15 and December 13 at Curious Iguana (www.curiousiguana.com) in downtown Frederick (12 N. Market St.) – please designate your purchase to the Literacy Council’s Holiday Book Drive and Curious Iguana will collect them in a bin at their store. You can also shop online through their Bookshop link and consult their collection of recommended children’s titles, or search for any title on Bookshop. Further instructions are available here: https://bookshop.org/lists/literacy-council-holiday-book-drive.
Books can be delivered to your home or directly to the Literacy Council (mailing address: Literacy Council of Frederick County, 110 E. Patrick Street, Frederick, MD 21701). Even though you are shopping online, you will still be supporting a local business.
Or you may simply purchase an unwrapped book and drop it off at the Literacy Council’s office at 110 E. Patrick Street no later than December 13. There will be a bin for the books in the outer lobby. The lobby is open M-F from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Curbside dropoff can be arranged by appointment with requests sent to info@frederickliteracy.org
Donors often like to share a childhood favorite or just encourage the habit of reading in a child. We request no religious holiday themed books so that we are not limited in distributing them.
You can also help by downloading and sharing this 2021 Holiday Book Drive flyer!
The Holiday Book Drive, now in its 15th year, has provided books for multiple local agencies including Centro Hispano, Head Start, YMCA, Toys for Tots, Advocates for Homeless Families, Children of Incarcerated Parents (COIP), Blessings in a Backpack, Spanish Speaking Community of Maryland and FCPS.

2022 Unity Campaign
2022-03-09 - 2022-03-20 | MD
The Literacy Council is again honored to be one of 34 nonprofit organizations participating in the Unity Campaign for Frederick County, hosted by United Way of Frederick County. The Unity Campaign supports the over one in three households in Frederick County that struggle to afford basic human necessities! This year’s campaign will specifically focus on funding programs directly supporting the health, education, and financial stability of ALICE (Asset-Limited, Income-Constrained, Employed) households that have been adversely impacted by COVID-19. Together, we can make a huge difference!
To donate online to the Literacy Council, please visit our Unity Campaign page. Or download the Mail-in Donation Form to send a check. You may also donate by texting 2022Unity46 to 71777.
The majority of fundraising will take place during the “12 Days of Giving” which begin on March 9th and continues through March 20th. The campaign is currently accepting donations! Please consider donating by designating the Literacy Council of Frederick County or by supporting the campaign as a whole. Matching funds will provide more bang for your donated bucks!
The Unity Campaign is a collaborative project between nonprofit partners, sponsors, and the greater Frederick community to support our most vulnerable neighbors by giving to a nonprofit organization of their choice. Through the generosity of our Incentive Match sponsors, 100% of your contribution goes directly to the designated Nonprofit. In addition, your individual gift is boosted because a portion of your donation is matched by the sponsors.
The Unity Campaign provides an efficient community-wide platform to increase awareness and raise much needed funds to support our tutoring, community classes, workplace and parent literacy programs.
Literacy is the basis for success in all other areas of life. It enables people to gain better employment to provide food, clothing, shelter and health care for themselves and their families. And the children of literate parents are much more likely to succeed in school.
The 2018 Frederick Community Assessment Report conducted by the Frederick County Community Foundation identified several common stressors that negatively impacted the well-being of families. These include financial hardship, housing and food instability, health issues and lack of affordable childcare. Limited literacy compounds each of these stressors, erecting a barrier that severely limits the financial options of a family. While these are multifaceted and complex issues, adult literacy is the one factor that can have a positive impact across the board.
Visit https://www.unitedwayfrederick.org/unity-campaign to learn more about the campaign.

Tutor Training Workshop
2022-03-26 09:00 - 14:30 | MD
Prepare to tutor an adult who needs to learn English or a native English speaker who needs to improve their reading skills with three sessions of training by our experienced tutor trainers conducted on Zoom. All three sessions are required for completion. You must also attend one Volunteer Information Session or an approved alternative prior to the training.

Scrabble Mania for Literacy 2022
2022-04-27 18:30 - 21:00 | MD
Join us on Wednesday, April 27, 2022 for our SCRABBLE® Mania for Literacy fundraiser. We are excited to partner again with Chris Sparks as our Game Master from Surelocked In Escape Games at our new location at Olde Mother Brewing Company! Help share this FLYER with friends and family! This event is for adults 21 and over.
COME JOIN US FOR …

Fast-paced Scrabble® play for Teams of 4 adults
Scrabble® boards will be available for each team
Appetizer & meal options from Diego’s World Food Truck offering authentic cuisine from around the world (5-8 p.m.)
Ticket fees include the first round beverages (beer or soda)
Online Auction opens on April 27 (see details below)
Door prize drawing!!

EVENT REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!
REGISTRATION FEE: $15/person or $60/team of 4*
REGISTER ONLINE through SureLocked In Escape Games

Find tickets HERE (Scrabble Mania for Literacy – Live Scrabble – Olde Mother Brewing Company)
Four players make up a team*
Ticket fees include the first round of beer or soda from Olde Mother Brewing Company
Food options will be available from Diego’s World Food Truck (not included in ticket fees)

*If you are playing on a team of four, please list the names of the other people you will be seated with. We will make every effort to accommodate team requests. Sponsors’ teams will be registered by the Literacy Council.
A portion of the ticket fees, less goods and services received, is a donation supporting the Literacy Council’s programs. A formal charitable donation acknowledgement will be provided to ticket buyers following the event.
REGISTER YOUR TEAM BY MAIL
ADDITIONAL EVENT DETAILS:
Scrabble play will be in teams of four individuals. Each team will be provided with a Scrabble board, rules and scoring sheets. Scrabble play will be led by Frederick’s very own Surelocked In Escape Games. The event will include a welcome, sponsor recognition, introduction of teams, explanation of the rules, two rounds of Scrabble games, door prize drawing, prizes for winning teams. The online auction which will go live on April 27!
EVENT DETAILS: Wednesday, April 27, 2022!
Scrabble Player & Team Check-In: 6:30 p.m.
Event begins at 7:00 p.m.
LOCATION: Olde Mother Brewing Company
526 North Market Street
Frederick, MD 21701
(240) 877-7392

Free parking is available right next to the brewery for all customers. It is a shared parking lot with Gravel & Grind at 15 E 6th Street.
Thank you to Olde Mother for donating 10% of their proceeds from beer sales for the evening to support this event!
Appetizer & meal options from Diego’s World Food Truck offering authentic cuisine from around the world. Schedule: 5-8 p.m.

SPONSORSHIPS AVAILABLE:
Double Letter, Triple Letter, Double Word & Triple Word Sponsor Levels Available: $250 – $1,000
SEE SPONSOR BENEFITS AND DETAILS!
REGISTER ONLINE TO BECOME A SPONSOR!
MANY THANKS TO OUR WONDERFUL SPONSORS!
ONLINE AUCTION:
Over 80 items available through our online auction, including wine tastings and tours, travel and entertainment, themed baskets, restaurant gift certificates, crafts, clothing, art & collectibles, health and wellness items, subscriptions, books, and MORE!
Preview items at: https://www.biddingowl.com/LiteracyCouncilFrederick
Instructions to set up your Bidding Owl Bidder Account are provided HERE.
QUESTIONS? Call the Literacy Council at (301) 600-2066 or info@frederickliteracy.org
Can’t join us this year? Please consider making a charitable donation to support adult literacy programs for Frederick County!

Tutor Chat - Zoom Call
2022-05-06 10:00 - 11:00 | MD
Virtual tutoring and classes have provided convenient learning opportunities for busy students. YOU are the reason we are able to continue to serve our community. We are so grateful for your commitment to learning along with us in this new realm of tutoring!
Remember when we all gathered in the spring to figure out how to Zoom? It all felt so overwhelming, but look how far we’ve come! We’d love for you to join us again for our upcoming Tutor Chats. Come connect and share what and how you’re doing since we’ve gone virtual. If you haven’t been meeting and need inspiration, this session is a great opportunity to hear from other tutors! Please click on the dates and register in advance:
When: May 6, 2022 10:00 AM

Stuff the Bus 2022 - June 13 through August 3
2022-06-13 09:00 - 2022-08-03 14:00 | Literacy Council of Frederick County, MD, United States
The Literacy Council is again participating as a collection site for the United Way’s Stuff the Bus School Supply Drive. Stuff the Bus is a way for the community to come together to help young people succeed in school and is a way for the Literacy Council to support family literacy. Help share this Flyer too! Learn more by watching this video! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIaT6C0ADMk
More than 1 in 3 households in Frederick County struggle to afford basic necessities (http://www.unitedwayfrederick.org/ALICE), so they find it very difficult to afford needed school supplies. This drive helps ensure that all children have the supplies they need to do their homework, take tests, and complete projects. In 2021, more than 262,000 items were distributed to Frederick County children. It is a simple but important way to help children succeed in school.
STUFF THE BUS VIRTUAL DRIVE:
This year the Literacy Council is also supporting online donations for school supplies through the Stuff the Bus virtual drive organized by the United Way of Frederick County which runs June 13 through July 22. The virtual drive allows for cash donations to purchase school supplies: https://app.mobilecause.com/vf/StuffTheBus22/team/LiteracyCouncil
Donations of any amount are most appreciated. Here are some examples of what different cash donations might purchase:

$15 buys pencils, markers, and crayons for one kindergarten student
$50 supports one elementary student with basic supplies
$150 provides a middle school student with all necessary supplies, including a backpack
$200 buys a high school student basic supplies, including a graphing calculator
$500 provides 10 pre-k students with all necessary supplies, including backpacks

STUFF THE BUS IN-PERSON DROP OFF:
You may drop off your donation of new items at the Literacy Council office Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m., beginning Tuesday, July 5, through Wednesday, August 3.
Please drop off items in the collection bin in the lobby of our 110 E. Patrick Street entrance to the library (the administrative entrance where our door is located.) You can enter through our door or the front double doors on Patrick Street. Those doors will be unlocked between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Use this link to view the complete list of needed items.
Thank you for helping us Stuff the Bus and helping FCPS students start the school year with the supplies they need to succeed!
For more information about Stuff the Bus and how to donate, visit https://www.unitedwayfrederick.org/StuffTheBus

Classes for Students
2022-09-12 09:00 - 2022-12-16 16:00, 2023-01-23 09:00 - 2023-03-31 16:00, 2023-04-17 09:30 - 2023-06-19 20:00 | MD
The Literacy Council offers community classes to help adults learn to read, write and speak English. Classes include: conversation classes at beginning, intermediate and more advanced levels; beginning listening, speaking and reading; writing; and civics.
Depending on the class, some are conducted remotely on Zoom and others are in person. Learn more HERE for a general description of classes. From that page, to see the current class schedule, select Download Current Class Schedule here.
If you are interested in registering for classes, contact the Literacy Council at (301) 600-2066 or email info@frederickliteracy.org

Tutor Training Workshop
2022-09-14 18:30 - 20:30 | MD
Prepare to tutor an adult who needs to learn English or a native English speaker who needs to improve their reading skills with two days of training by our experienced tutor trainers conducted on Zoom. Both days are required for completion. You must also attend one Volunteer Information Session or an approved alternative prior to the training.

Tutor Training Workshop
2022-10-18 18:30 - 20:30, 2022-11-29 18:30 - 20:30 | MD
Prepare to tutor an adult who needs to learn English or a native English speaker who needs to improve their reading skills with two days of training by our experienced tutor trainers conducted on Zoom. All three days are required for completion. You must also attend one Volunteer Information Session or an approved alternative prior to the training.

Celebration of Achievements 2022
2022-11-03 18:30 - 20:30 | Delaplaine Arts Center, 40 South Carroll Street, Frederick, MD, 21701, United States
We are excited to be back in person again as we recognize the accomplishments of our students at our 8th Annual Celebration of Achievements. We will also announce the recipients of this year’s Literacy Council’s Business & Industry Partner in Literacy Award.
This special ceremony will recognize our adult learners who completed classes or accomplished a milestone achievement through their hard work in our programs during the past year. We are so pleased to honor their hard work and share a special evening together with our community.
We thank our more than 140 volunteers who contributed their time this past year to support our students’ many successes!
The event will be held on Thursday, November 3, 2022 at 6:30 in the evening at The Delaplaine Arts Center, 40 South Carroll Street, Frederick, Maryland. Refreshments and beverages will be served.
Directions and Parking: : http://delaplaine.org/visit/driving-directions-parking/
Need more information? Contact Laurie Fisher at lauriefisher@frederickliteracy.org or or (301) 600-2066.
Please register by Friday, October 28, 2022 through the Eventbrite invitation sent by email. You may also call the Literacy Council Office at (301) 600-2066 or email info@frederickliteracy.org.
Many thanks to our Event Sponsors for helping to make this celebration possible!

Holiday Book Drive 2022
2022-11-14 - 2022-12-19 | MD
Thank you to FCB Bank and Curious Iguana, and our amazing community!
Over 900 children’s books were donated!!
The Literacy Council of Frederick County is partnering with FCB Bank, a Division of ACNB Bank and Curious Iguana for our 16th Annual Holiday Book Drive to provide new and gently-used books for elementary school aged children (PreK through 5th grade). FCB Bank will be collecting donated books at their five locations (see addresses below).
While the Literacy Council serves adult literacy needs, providing appealing, age-appropriate books to children fosters literacy at a young age and helps to break the cycle of low literacy in families. The books will be given to parents of children in elementary school who are participating in the Literacy Council’s tutoring, parent literacy, workplace, or class instruction programs. The Literacy Council works directly with the Judy Center and Butterfly Ridge, Hillcrest, Lincoln, Monocacy and Waverley Elementary Schools to provide programs at the schools for parents whose children attend these schools, and many of our other students also have young children with whom to share the books. Books will also be distributed to children at community outreach events throughout the year.
Suggestions for younger grades include: board books, picture books (fiction and nonfiction), early chapter books; and for older grades: mid-grade chapter books, paperback series, graphic novels, and STEM titles. Donors often like to share a childhood favorite or just encourage the habit of reading in a child. We request no religious holiday themed books so that we are not limited in distributing them.
To participate in the Holiday Book Drive, you may purchase and donate books between November 14 and December 19 at Curious Iguana (www.curiousiguana.com) in downtown Frederick (12 N. Market St.) – please designate your purchase to the Literacy Council’s Holiday Book Drive and Curious Iguana will collect them in a bin at their store. You can also shop online through their Bookshop link and consult their collection of recommended children’s titles, or search for any title on Bookshop. Books can be delivered to your home or directly to the Literacy Council (mailing address: Literacy Council of Frederick County, 110 E. Patrick Street, Frederick, MD 21701). Even though you are shopping online, you will still be supporting a local business.
You may also drop off donated books at the following FCB Bank locations:
2 North on the Square: 2 North Market Street. Frederick, MD 21701
Aspen Ridge: 165A Thomas Johnson Drive, Frederick, MD 21702
Crestwood: 6910 Crestwood Boulevard, Frederick, MD 21703
East Frederick: 490 Monocacy Boulevard, Frederick, MD 21701
Walkersville: 200 Commerce Drive, Walkersville, MD 21793
Or you may simply purchase an unwrapped book and drop it off at any of these locations no later than December 19. If dropping off at the Literacy Council’s office, there will be a bin for the books in the outer lobby. The lobby is open M-F from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Curbside drop off can be arranged by appointment with requests sent to info@frederickliteracy.org
You can also help by downloading and sharing this 2022 Holiday Book Drive flyer!
Over the years, the Holiday Book Drive has provided books for multiple local agencies including Centro Hispano, Head Start, YMCA, Toys for Tots, Advocates for Homeless Families, Children of Incarcerated Parents (COIP), Blessings in a Backpack, Spanish Speaking Community of Maryland and FCPS.

Tutor Chats - Zoom Call
2022-12-14 16:00 - 17:00 | MD
Virtual tutoring and classes have provided convenient learning opportunities for busy students. YOU are the reason we are able to continue to serve our community. We are so grateful for your commitment to learning along with us in this new realm of tutoring!
Remember when we all gathered in the spring to figure out how to Zoom? It all felt so overwhelming, but look how far we’ve come! We’d love for you to join us again for our upcoming Tutor Chats. Come connect and share what and how you’re doing since we’ve gone virtual. If you haven’t been meeting and need inspiration, this session is a great opportunity to hear from other tutors! Please click on the dates and register in advance:

When: December 14th, 4:00pm – 5:00pm

2023 Unity Campaign
2023-03-08 - 2023-03-19 | MD
The Literacy Council is again honored to be one of 30 nonprofit organizations participating in the Unity Campaign for Frederick County, hosted by United Way of Frederick County. The Unity Campaign supports the over one in three households in Frederick County that struggle to afford basic human necessities! This year’s campaign will specifically focus on funding programs directly supporting the health, education, and financial stability of ALICE (Asset-Limited, Income-Constrained, Employed) households that have been adversely impacted by COVID-19. Together, we can make a huge difference!
To donate online to the Literacy Council, please visit our Unity Campaign page. Or download the Mail-in Donation Form to send a check. You may also donate by texting Unity202340 to 71777.
The majority of fundraising will take place during the “12 Days of Giving” which begin on March 8th and continues through March 19th. The campaign is currently accepting donations! Please consider donating by designating the Literacy Council of Frederick County or by supporting the campaign as a whole. Matching funds will provide more bang for your donated bucks!
The Unity Campaign is a collaborative project between nonprofit partners, sponsors, and the greater Frederick community to support our most vulnerable neighbors by giving to a nonprofit organization of their choice. Through the generosity of our Incentive Match sponsors, 100% of your contribution goes directly to the designated Nonprofit. In addition, your individual gift is boosted because a portion of your donation is matched by the sponsors.

Thank you to our Incentive Match Sponsors!

Ausherman Family Foundation
Delaplaine Foundation, Inc.
Randall Family Foundation

In addition, your individual gift is boosted because a portion of your donation is matched by the sponsors.
2023 In-Kind Sponsors

Manning Media
Print @ Hood

2023 Promotional Sponsors

Manning Media
The Frederick News-Post

The Unity Campaign provides an efficient community-wide platform to increase awareness and raise much needed funds to support our tutoring, community classes, workplace and parent literacy programs.
Literacy is the basis for success in all other areas of life. It enables people to gain better employment to provide food, clothing, shelter and health care for themselves and their families. And the children of literate parents are much more likely to succeed in school.
The 2018 Frederick Community Assessment Report conducted by the Frederick County Community Foundation identified several common stressors that negatively impacted the well-being of families. These include financial hardship, housing and food instability, health issues and lack of affordable childcare. Limited literacy compounds each of these stressors, erecting a barrier that severely limits the financial options of a family. While these are multifaceted and complex issues, adult literacy is the one factor that can have a positive impact across the board.
Visit https://www.unitedwayfrederick.org/unity-campaign to learn more about the campaign.

Scrabble Mania for Literacy 2023
2023-05-03 18:00 - 21:00 | MD
Join us on Wednesday, May 3rd, 2023 for our SCRABBLE® Mania for Literacy fundraiser. We are excited to partner again with Chris Sparks as our Game Master from Surelocked In Escape Games at Steinhardt Brewing Company! Help us to share this FLYER with friends and family!! This event is for adults 21 and over.
DATE: Wednesday, May 3rd
TIME: 6:00 – 9:00 p.m.
LOCATION: Steinhardt Brewing Company
340 East Patrick Street, Suite 100-102
Frederick, MD 21701
(240) 651-0057
Parking Details: Parking is available in the lot across Patrick Street (at the corner of Wisner and Patrick) that is for Steinhardt Brewing Company and Union Mills patrons. Street parking is also available. Do NOT park in the gravel lot across Wisner Street. Additional parking is available in the Carroll Creek and East All Saints Parking Garages. For more information: City of Frederick Parking Garages

COME JOIN US FOR …

Fast-paced Scrabble® play for Teams of 4 adults
Scrabble® boards will be available for each team
*Ticket fees include a complementary beverage (beer or soda) from Steinhardt Brewing Company and appetizers from Union Mills Public House
Visit the online Auction which goes live on May 3!
Door prize drawing!!

ONLINE REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN – CLICK TO REGISTER ONLINE
OR
REGISTER YOUR TEAM BY MAIL – CLICK TO ACCESS MAIL FORM
REGISTRATION FEES:
Team of 4: $220*
Individual Player(s): $55*
*Note: The registration fee for players and teams includes a complementary beverage from Steinhardt Brewing Company and appetizers from Union Mills Public House.
*A portion of the registration fees, less goods and services received, is a donation supporting the Literacy Council’s programs. A formal charitable donation acknowledgement will be provided to ticket purchasers following the event.
EVENT DETAILS:

Scrabble play will be in teams of four individuals. If you are playing on a team of four, please list the names of the other people you will be seated with when you register. We will make every effort to accommodate team requests.
Sponsors’ teams will be registered by the Literacy Council.
Each team will be provided with a Scrabble board, rules and scoring sheets.
The event will include two rounds of Scrabble games, door prize drawing, prizes for winning teams.
Sneak peek of online auction which opens on May 3!

SPONSORSHIPS AVAILABLE:
Double Letter, Triple Letter, Double Word, Triple Word, Pre-Game Team Spirit & 60th Anniversary Diamond Sponsor Levels Available: $300 – $2,500
BECOME A SPONSOR HERE

SEE SPONSOR BENEFITS AND DETAILS!
MANY THANKS TO OUR WONDERFUL PAST AND CURRENT SPONSORS!
ONLINE AUCTION INFORMATION: May 3 – 14, 2023
Over 80 items are available through our online auction, including wine tastings and tours, travel and entertainment, themed baskets, restaurant gift certificates, crafts, clothing, art & collectibles, health and wellness items, subscriptions, books, and MORE!
Preview items at: https://www.biddingowl.com/LiteracyCouncilFrederick
Instructions to set up your Bidding Owl Bidder Account are provided HERE.
QUESTIONS? Call the Literacy Council at (301) 600-2066 or info@frederickliteracy.org
Can’t join us this year? Please consider making a charitable donation to support adult literacy programs for Frederick County!

Stuff the Bus 2023 - June 12 through July 31
2023-06-12 09:00 - 2023-07-31 16:00 | Literacy Council of Frederick County, MD, United States
The Literacy Council is again participating as a collection site for the United Way’s Stuff the Bus School Supply Drive. Stuff the Bus is a way for the community to come together to help young people succeed in school and is a way for the Literacy Council to support family literacy. Help share this Flyer too!
More than 1 in 3 households in Frederick County struggle to afford basic necessities (http://www.unitedwayfrederick.org/ALICE), so they find it very difficult to afford needed school supplies. This drive helps ensure that all children have the supplies they need to do their homework, take tests, and complete projects. In 2022, hundreds of bins of supplies were collected and thousands of items were purchased with donor gifts. Total Items & Value: An estimated 90,358 items valued at $75,054 were distributed to Frederick County students. It is a simple but important way to help children succeed in school.
STUFF THE BUS VIRTUAL DRIVE:
This year the Literacy Council is also supporting online donations for school supplies through the Stuff the Bus virtual drive organized by the United Way of Frederick County which runs June 12 through July 17. The virtual drive allows for cash donations to purchase school supplies:
https://fundraise.givesmart.com/vf/StuffTheBus23/team/LiteracyCouncil
Donations of any amount are most appreciated. Here are some examples of what different cash donations might purchase:

$15 buys pencils, markers, and crayons for one kindergarten student
$50 supports one elementary student with basic supplies
$150 provides a middle school student with all necessary supplies, including a backpack
$200 buys a high school student basic supplies, including a graphing calculator
$500 provides 10 pre-k students with all necessary supplies, including backpacks

STUFF THE BUS IN-PERSON DROP OFF:
You may drop off your donation of new items at the Literacy Council office Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m., beginning Monday, June 19 through Monday, July 31.
Please drop off items in the collection bin in the lobby of our 110 E. Patrick Street entrance to the library (the administrative entrance where our door is located.) You can enter through our door or the front double doors on Patrick Street. Those doors will be unlocked between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Use this link to view the complete list of needed items.
Thank you for helping us Stuff the Bus and helping FCPS students start the school year with the supplies they need to succeed!
For more information about Stuff the Bus and how to donate, visit https://www.unitedwayfrederick.org/StuffTheBus
