"I used to rely on my husband to read things to me. Now I can read my work bulletin board, newspapers, and my Bible. I'm planning to take the Certified Nurses Assistant Exam in January and eventually get my GED."
— Betty A.
History of Literacy Volunteers of the Lowcountry
The seeds of the first literacy program in the Lowcountry were sown on St. Helena Island, South Carolina, at the Franciscan Center. The Roman Catholic sisters there and several concerned citizens, recognizing the literacy needs of the community, formed the Beaufort County Literacy and Group Leadership Association in 1973.
In 1977 the South Carolina Department of Education, Adult Education Division, sponsored the local adult literacy program in cooperation with the South Carolina Literacy Association (SCLA), a state member of Laubach Literacy Action (LLA), the domestic branch of Laubach Literacy International. The local organization shortened its name to the Beaufort County Literacy Association (BCLA). In the meantime, the Department of Education and SCLA obtained a Comprehensive Education and Training Act (CETA) grant and a coordinator, assisted by eight CETA workers, was employed.
In 1980 Beaufort County was targeted as one of several areas to pilot the Adult Reading Campaign. That same year WJWJ-TV in Beaufort provided office space, a telephone and the use of office equipment. In the mid-1980’s BCLA received support from the United Way.
1986 was a notable year in the organizational development of BCLA. ABC and PBS broadcasting networks sponsored Project Literacy U.S. (PLUS), the first significant national campaign that brought the magnitude of the adult illiteracy problem out of the shadows and into the light of public awareness. The PLUS campaign provided an important opportunity for BCLA to reach many new tutors and students, resulting in significant growth.
A major achievement during 1986 was the development of a close working relationship with the Beaufort County Adult Education Department in the form of a signed agreement defining BCLA as a private contractor of services. In addition, in 1986 BCLA expanded its program to Hilton Head Island and in the spring of 1987 achieved its goal of opening an office there. Early in 1988, the association hired the first coordinator of the Hilton Head program.
BCLA became an affiliate of Literacy Volunteers of America, Inc. in 1988 and eventually changed its name to Literacy Volunteers of the Lowcountry (LVL) to better reflect the area it served. LVL maintained membership in both national literacy organizations, Laubach Literacy Action and Literacy Volunteers of America.
Beginning in the early 1990’s, Hilton Head Island attracted many immigrants who sought job opportunities in the booming tourist and construction industries. The Hispanic population increased dramatically in that decade. LVL expanded its educational services to include English for speakers of other languages instruction. Numerous programs were launched throughout Beaufort County in collaboration with the Beaufort County School District and area churches. Workplace literacy and computer-assisted instruction were also introduced in this period.
In 2000, LVL was among the first affiliates to be accredited by Literacy Volunteers of America and has been reaccredited since by ProLiteracy, the organization created by the merger of Laubach Literacy International and Literacy Volunteers of America, Inc. in 2002.
In 2004, LVL was recognized by the Hilton Head Bluffton Chamber of Commerce as the Outstanding Organization of 2003 and was the recipient of the Beaufort Regional Chamber of Commerce’s 2004 Civitas Award for “contributing to the economic prosperity and quality of life in (the) community.”
In 2006, LVL opened a English literacy program in Hardeeville and entered into a collaborative agreement with Jasper Hampton Adult Education. In 2008, LVL moved its headquarters to Bluffton and opened a Bluffton Learning Center, thereby creating three full-service LVL locations in Beaufort County.
Literacy Changes Lives!
