Our Mission
Literacy Volunteers of Western Cook County is a not-for-profit organization that is dedicated to improving the literacy skills of adults in western Cook County, Illinois. Our mission is to empower each individual to reach reading, mathematics and writing independence and to actively involve each community in our drive toward higher literacy.

LVWCC is an accredited affiliate of Proliteracy America.

About Literacy
Literacy is not just the ability to read. It also refers to the ability to understand and synthesize information. Studies show a correlation between literacy levels and economic opportunities with greater employment choices and earning power among those with higher literacy levels. For more information about literacy try some of the links in the green box to the right.

Our Programs
Our students and tutors live and work in over 30 towns in western Cook County and in the Austin neighborhood of Chicago. Student-tutor pairs meet once per week at a mutually convenient time and location, often at a public library. Instruction is tailored to the needs and desires of each student in order to maximize the potential for literacy development.

Our Students
Our Students make up a diverse population as seen in the graphs to the right. Student goals primarily fall into one of the following areas:

• Improve reading and writing skills
• Prepare for the GED (General Educational Development) examination
• Learn English for Speakers of other Languages (ESL)

Our Tutors
Our Tutors also come from a variety of backgrounds. No prior teaching experience is needed. All of our tutors receive LVWCC training in adult literacy tutoring techniques. Please visit our Volunteer page to learn more about becoming an LVWCC tutor.