The Literacy Council of Hot Spring County, Inc. dba READ Program, is a non-profit, 501(c)3 volunteer organization.  It is made up of a Board of Directors (our governing body); volunteers that do administrative work, fundraising and tutoring; and most importantly, our students/learners. 

Everything we do at READ revolves around how we can best serve the needs of our students. We look for any type of accessible funding. Funds are expended to pay for overhead such as rent and utilities, salary for one part-time director, match stipend for an AmeriCorps member and consumable and non-consumable books and materials for our library collection. READ has received corporate and private foundation grants, federal grants, state grants, fundraising monies, individual donations and support from our local communities.

Our focus is working with adults. We enroll students who come to us of their own will or were brought to us by a relative or neighbor. Some learners are referred by programs such as Department of Community Corrections (DOCC), Hot Spring County Drug Court, adult education, employers, etc. For years, we have trained inmates to tutor other inmates at the Ouachita River Correctional Unit (ORCU) in Malvern. 

READ offers services to any person regardless of income, race, creed, gender or disabilities.  There are no costs related to the tutor or learner — all materials and facilities are provided.  If a financial problem could be a barrier to learning, we have removed it by not charging for services.  We refer learners to the agency or organization that best suits their particular barrier when the need arises. For example, if a woman and her children are hungry, she cannot readily learn. The immediate needs of the woman and her family must first be addressed.

Our main goal is to offer instruction to people in ways they can best absorb. Working one-to-one with volunteer tutors offers a real advantage; a person can use in his/her personal learning style. If one way does not work then another will. Learners are assessed for their beginning reading and/or math level. Our base curriculum is the Laubach Way to Reading Series, although alternative and multiple methods are available. Students are constantly exposed to numerous learning modalities to reinforce what they learn. Seeing, speaking, hearing and writing are constantly reinforced. Learning styles that work, pinpointed by the tutor and/or student for that individual, are given extra focus.  Learners and tutors are matched by available times for tutoring, location and personalities.  At any time the “match” does not seem to be working (for whatever reason), staff will respectfully rematch the pair. 

It is natural for human beings to resist change. The people that make up the READ Program are not “faint of heart” or afraid to change. They welcome challenges and change — that’s pretty much what READ is all about. We hope to change individuals’ lives, the lives of their families and of our future generations. “To teach is to learn twice.” In doing just that, we change. It is always for the better. Our community, county, state, country and world change, one person at a time. Tomorrow offers challenges and risks we are ready to take. Join us!