[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 106 (Friday, June 20, 2025)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E597]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               CELEBRATING LITERACY KC'S 40TH ANNIVERSARY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EMANUEL CLEAVER

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, June 20, 2025

  Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Literacy KC, 
Kansas City's only adult-focused literacy organization, for their 
exceptional work challenging illiteracy in Missouri's Fifth 
Congressional District. For forty years, Literacy KC has ceaselessly 
pursued its mission of promoting literacy for all and has empowered 
thousands of low-literate individuals through the organization's direct 
services, advocacy work, and community collaboration initiatives.
  Literacy KC was born out of a passion for community engagement and 
mutual support. In 1985, a group of volunteers led by Catherine Mathews 
perceived a need for adult literacy services and took the initiative to 
form a small, literacy tutoring group. Initially, with only a handful 
of students, the organization worked out of the basement at Country 
Club Congregational Church and relied solely on volunteer labor. 
Mathews affiliated the organization with the National Laubach Literacy 
Council, which gave the fledgling group access to curriculum and 
materials. Mathews and her team of unpaid instructors called themselves 
the Kansas City Laubach Literacy Council before changing their name to 
Literacy KC.
  What began as an ambitious dream eventually became a reality, with 
the organization hiring an executive director and full-time staff as 
classroom sizes swelled and funding was secured. Literacy KC has 
advocated tirelessly for adult education programs since its inception, 
working to acknowledge and address the barriers low-literate adults 
face in the workforce and in daily life. Whether via direct service 
programs or advocacy efforts, Literacy KC seeks to address the 
consequences of low literacy--including an increased likelihood of 
poverty, incarceration, and health problems--for the 225,000 adults in 
the Kansas City area that are classified as low-literate.
  Literacy education provides innumerable benefits, both to individuals 
and to our society at large. Greater literacy rates are correlated with 
higher levels of economic output, improved health outcomes, heightened 
civic participation, and decreased crime levels. Beyond practical 
considerations, the ability to read opens a portal of knowledge, 
discovery, and imagination that can transport readers across time, 
throughout space, and beyond reality. Literacy KC does not just focus 
on the downstream consequences of illiteracy, but works with thousands 
of students each year to tap into the wellspring of opportunities that 
literacy provides, empowering learners with the tools needed to improve 
their own lives.
  Mr. Speaker, please join me in celebrating the work that Literacy KC 
has done to improve literacy rates throughout Missouri's Fifth 
Congressional District. Since 1985, Literacy KC has offered hope to 
people in challenging situations and acted as a springboard for 
individuals that receive their services, propelling them to new 
heights. Whether helping students obtain their GEDs, study for 
citizenship exams, or pursue job-specific certifications, their 
services have left an indelible mark on our community, bringing great 
meaning, fulfillment, and empowerment to the lives of thousands. As we 
mark Literacy KC's 40th anniversary this year, I am proud to 
commemorate their work and champion their mission of literacy for all.

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