[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 93 (Friday, May 27, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E559]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  RECOGNIZING THE LITERACY COUNCIL OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA'S 60 YEARS OF 
                                SERVICE

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. GERALD E. CONNOLLY

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                          Friday, May 27, 2022

  Mr. CONNOLLY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 60th 
Anniversary of the Literary Council of Northern Virginia.
  Founded in 1962, the LCNV is the oldest literacy program in the state 
and one of the largest literacy councils in the nation. Throughout its 
60 years of service, the LCNV has adapted to the growing needs of the 
Northern Virginia community to serve adult learners at the lowest 
literacy level.
  Not only are they celebrating a milestone of 60 years, but they are 
about to celebrate a milestone of serving 60,000 adult learners. By 
empowering tens of thousands of adult learners to better participate in 
their communities, LCNV is ensuring the economic success of hundreds of 
local families for a lifetime.
  With the help of dedicated volunteers, LCNV has become one of the 
more efficient and effective community-based literacy organizations in 
the country. In FY2021, despite being in the middle of a global 
pandemic, LCNV's 436 volunteers were able to put in a total of 16,344 
hours of service. LCNV was able to hold events to recruit and train 
volunteers, which helped the organization meet and work with 204 new 
volunteers. These new volunteers were critical as the organization had 
to pivot to virtual programming for the year. The volunteers were able 
to provide substantial remote support to help their students use the 
online learning platforms.
  LCNV has spent the past six decades helping people from all over the 
world achieve their goals and better their lives with literacy skills. 
On average each year, their students come from 90 different countries 
and speak 50 different languages. Their commitment to meeting people 
where they are in their educational journey has allowed them to become 
a trusted resource in the community and a leader in adult education. In 
the fall of 2021, LCNV was called upon to help with literacy classes 
for refugees coming over from Afghanistan. While their fall session had 
already started, LCNV quickly adapted and added classes for the 
students that would not have been able to wait for the next 
registration period. To date, they have been able to help almost 170 
Afghan refugees with English literacy skills.
  Literacy is not just about being able to read, it's about being able 
to further your career, engage in conversations with family and 
friends, and become more civically engaged. LCNV helps students reach 
their goals like voting for the first time or getting a promotion at 
their job. The skills gained in LCNV classrooms, both virtual and in-
person, allow learners to improve wellness and attain healthier 
lifestyles as well.
  Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in recognizing the 
60th Anniversary of the Literacy Council of Northern Virginia. Its 
values of Integrity, Innovation, Respect, Collaboration, and Excellence 
have propelled it to success for the past 60 years and will continue to 
carry the Council through the next 60 years. I also want to express my 
gratitude to the LCNV staff, Board of Directors, and countless 
volunteers who dedicate their time and resources to empower neighbors 
of our community to develop basic skills of reading, writing, and 
speaking English.

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