FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Troy Hickman
Oregon Literacy, Inc.
1001 SW Fifth Avenue, Suite 320
Portland, OR 97204
Ph:  503-244-3898
Fax: 503-244-9147
troy@oregonliteracy.org

With a generous grant from the Oregon Community Foundation, Oregon Literacy is leading a three-year initiative to revitalize volunteer based ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) assistance programs in central Oregon.

The expansion of the ESOL Initiative is based on a pilot project that has been carried out since 2005 in the Salem area, specifically in Marion, Polk, and Yamhill counties.  Through the initiative, churches; community schools; farm worker associations; community centers; and other such community organizations have gained tools for assisting English language learning members of their communities by providing individualized and small group language instruction.

The initiative consists of a curriculum and support system to help build-up community-based programs and provide them with the tools for providing English instruction.  The objectives of the initiative are to help create volunteer opportunities that promote education and provide opportunities for sharing culture. For English language learners with children attending Oregon? schools, the initiative exists not only to facilitate their own education and connection to the community, but also to provide them with the tools for becoming more involved with the education of their children.