Literacy Volunteers of America

Literacy Volunteers, Inc. was founded in 1962 by Ruth J. Colvin in Syracuse, New York. Mrs. Colvin's interest in literacy grew out of the global mission of her denomination and exposure to the work of Frank Laubach and Welthy Honsinger Fisher. Planning to encourage her church to support literature programs in Africa, Mrs. Colvin learned of the high number of illiterates in the United States. Focusing on the illiterate in her local area she gave over 90 presentations educating the community to the problem at hand. Thus LVA had its beginnings.

In 1972 the name was changed to Literacy Volunteers of America, Inc. or LVA. LVA is a nonprofit educational organization whose main aim is "to provide training and program support for volunteers who tutor adults and teenagers, one to one, to write and speak conversational English." A National Endowment for the Humanities grant in 1979 enabled the production of a bibliography of humanistic materials at low reading levels. In 1991 the organization had grown to over 400 programs in 33 states. Mrs. Colvin has traveled to over 40 countries presenting workshops and serving-as a consultant to literacy programs. Areas of special interest are: English as a Second Language: work within correctional facilities; literacy and public libraries; the production of readers and workbooks (READ ON!); involvement in the National Right to Read Effort and the development of slide/tape and later video tutor training workshops.

From the guide to the Literacy Volunteers of America (LVA) Records, 1962-1990, (Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University Libraries)