Program Highlights

Bloomfield Library Program

Opened in September 2009, Literacy Volunteers of Greater Hartford’s (LVGH) most recent program offers Basic Literacy classes Monday and Wednesday evenings at the Wintonbury Branch of the Bloomfield Library. LVGH has extended its hand to adults with a convenient, suburban location to develop needed rudimentary literacy skills. The program is located right on the bus line, attracting students from Windsor, Hartford and Bloomfield. Instruction is offered at various reading levels, with small class sizes and individual support from tutors.

One student, Merlena Silvera, has been participating in the program since September and attends class after working a full day at the Marriott hotel in Hartford. When asked how many days a week she would be willing to come to class, she responds “Every day! You better believe it!”

With a similar enthusiasm, the tutors at the Bloomfield branch exude their own hopeful passion for class. As Christine Baptiste-McCalla recognizes, there is a unique camaraderie among the students. Students and tutors alike often arrive at class after a full day of work, ready to “drag along together” in a mutual engagement of the challenges set before them. They laugh their way through mistakes and triumphs and leave each class eager for the next.

Anyone interested should contact Miriam Lopez at (860) 233-3853 or miriam.lopez@lvgh.org to schedule an appointment.

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Health Literacy Program

Most low literate and non-English speaking adults struggle with basic tasks such as reading medicine bottles, communicating with physicians, and understanding consent forms. Often they do not understand the healthcare system or their doctors. Many suffer from poor health, including physical and mental illnesses and have difficulty making decisions about their children’s health.

Literacy Volunteers of Greater Hartford is in the second year of a Health Literacy grant from the Aetna Foundation in collaboration with Literacy Volunteers of Central Connecticut and the Connecticut Public Health Association. We are working to improve health literacy in low literate adults in the Hartford area through:

• awareness of health issues
• health literacy skill development and
• healthcare career exploration

This project will help students better understand their health needs and those of their children. It will also familiarize students with the healthcare industry and introduce them to high demand healthcare careers within their skill levels.

In the fall, we conducted the first of two workshops dedicated to health and wellness. The first portion of the workshop taught students to recognize symptoms of illness and communicate effectively with healthcare providers. The second workshop, which will launch this spring, gives students the opportunity to explore potential jobs in the healthcare industry, including Certified Nurse’s Aid (CNA) and Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) positions. In both workshops, students will benefit from the experience and expertise of professionals in the field.

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