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Utah County’s Project Read expands to Salt Lake area

By Genelle Pugmire - | Nov 15, 2022

Courtesy Project Read

Volunteer Kacy Faulconer leads a Literacy Lab for Project Read.

For Shauna Brown and her husband, 2001 was going to be a big year. With airline tickets in hand to move to Taiwan, the Browns got a prompting they had something more important to do.

Shortly after that, Brown was named the executive director of Project Read, where she has been now for 22 years.

While the organization had been functioning since 1987, it wasn’t until Brown’s administration coupled with a big move into the Provo City Library at Academy Square that things really started taking off for the Utah-County based nonprofit adult literacy program.

Over the years, Project Read has provided individual tutoring and small group instruction to help individuals improve their ability to read, write, compute and use technology sufficiently to meet personal goals, function well in society and become more productive citizens.

“Project Read is a valuable and essential partner to our community,” said Bill Hulterstrom, president and CEO of United Way of Utah County. “Adult literacy continues to be a critical need in our area.”

Now, Project Read is expanding into Salt Lake County. The following locations will be adding to the program Brown has worked hard to build.

  • Salt Lake office: Granite Peaks Adult Education, 501 E. 3900 South, Salt Lake City
  • Salt Lake classes: The Co-Op at the Columbus Center, 2530 S. 500 East, South Salt Lake
  • Individual tutoring sessions are being held in one of the 18 Salt Lake County Library locations.

“When the longtime director of the Literacy Action Center in Salt Lake decided to retire, we knew it was the right time to expand our services,” Brown said. “We wanted to make sure their students, specifically, still had access to quality adult literacy instruction. In addition, we knew there were more adults in Salt Lake County who needed help with literacy, math and computer basics.”

The need was there, and the Utah County program provided a template for the services they wanted to offer, Brown added.

“It is very exciting to be bringing our programming to the area.” said Rob Fuller, Project Read’s newly appointed Salt Lake County program coordinator. “We have already seen the positive impact on so many individuals in Utah County, and now we have the chance to affect similar change in the Salt Lake area.”

According to the American Community Survey, Salt Lake County is home to 784,800 people over the age of 16. Of those adults, an estimated 17% are illiterate, meaning roughly 133,416 adults in Salt Lake County cannot read above a fourth grade reading level. By working with this underprivileged community, Project Read hopes to improve their quality of life, as well as improving the community and economy of Utah.

“The need is there,” Brown said. “And we are thrilled to be in a position to expand our services to meet that need. I think people are surprised to hear that adult literacy is such an issue in Utah, but it is. Our students are passionate and dedicated and committed and excited to learn these skills that will literally change their lives.”

Project Read’s Salt Lake office is currently based out of the Granite Peaks School for Adult Education. As Project Read becomes more established, the plan is to add more weekly labs for their students to attend and to increase the number of adults enrolled in the one-to-one tutoring program.

If you or someone you know is struggling with their reading, writing, math or computer skills, Brown said to send them Project Read’s way.

“We are also looking for volunteers and donors to help support the program,” Brown added.

To get involved, contact the Project Read office at 801-448-7323 (READ) or visit our website at www.projectreadutah.org.

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