The READ Program is a non-profit, 501(c)3 volunteer organization.  It is made up of a Board of Directors (our governing body); volunteers that do administrative work, fundraising and tutoring; and most importantly, our students. 

Everything we do at READ revolves around how we can best serve the needs of our students/learners.  We look for any type of funding we may have access to.  Funds are expended to pay for overhead such as rent and utilities, salary for one full-time director, match stipend for AmeriCorps members and consumable and non-consumable books and materials for our library collection.  READ has received corporate and private foundation grants, federal grants, state grants, fundraising monies, individual donations and support from our local communities.

Sadly, we must report that we had a break-in at our HH location Winter/Spring 2010.  A lot of damage was done to our buildings, as well as spray-paint tagging in many downtown areas from the same crime spree.  Two adults and four teenagers were arrested and are being prosecuted.  Looking beyond the repair and clean-up of smashed mirrors and building damage that had to be done, we approximate a loss of over $2,000.00 in props and supplies.  That was an acceptable amount to request for restitution.  With the aid of our sponsors and workers we will scaried on, er, carried on with HH 2010 and did very well. 

In July 2011 we went to the HH to work.  We found the right front glass door smashed using the water meter cover.  More spray paint was stolen.  The police arrived and secured the location finding no one on site.  Davis Lumber in Malvern hopped right up and immediately got the door secured.  The following morning Arkansas Glass from Hot Springs replaced the door glass.  Once again, all is well! 

Our main focus is working with adults.  When we have accessible tutors, such at College of the Ouachitas Federal Work Studies or retired teachers willing to work with children, we will work with people under eighteen years old.  We enroll students who come to us of their own will or were brought to us by a relative or neighbor.  Some learners are referred by programs such as Department of Community Corrections (DOCC), the Hot Spring County Drug Court, Pathfinders in Benton, employers, etc.  For over five years, we have trained inmates to tutor inmates at the Ouachita River Correctional Unit (ORCU) in Malvern. 

READ offers services to any person regardless of income, race, creed, gender or disabilities.  There are no costs related to the tutor or learner -- all materials and facilities are provided.  If a financial problem could be a barrier to learning, we have removed it by not charging for services.  We refer learners to the agency or organization that best suits a particular barrier.  If a woman and her children are hungry she cannot readily learn.  Her family's immediate needs must first be addressed.

Our main goal is to offer instruction to people in ways they can absorb.  Working one-to-one with volunteer tutors offers a real advantage.  A person can learn in his/her personal learning style.  If one way does not work then another will.  Learners are assessed for their beginning reading and/or math level and learning strengths.  Our base curriculum is the Laubach Way to Reading Series, although alternative and multiple methods are available.  Students are constantly exposed to numerous learning modalities to reinforce what they learn.  Seeing, speaking, hearing and writing are constantly reinforced.  Learning styles that work, pinpointed by the tutor and/or student, are given extra focus.  Learners and tutors are matched by available times for tutoring, location and personalities.  At any time the "match" does not seem to be working (for whatever reason), staff will respectfully rematch the pair.   

In 1989, staff of the Hot Spring County Library started a volunteer literacy program.  In 1990, the library was offered funding through a community action agency to hire a coordinator/director.  In 1992, the program applied for and received non-profit status with IRS as Literacy Council of Hot Spring County, Inc.  For many years, the library generously provided space, utilities and telephone to the literacy council.  April 28, 1998 the library was struck by lightning during the night.  In 45 minutes the structure had burned to the ground, but gratefully no one was injured. 

As the library rebuilt, we started over from nothing.  We still had the faith and perseverance of our volunteers.  Even though the library had little to share, they continued to provide our program with a facility until December 1998.  In January '99 we began remodeling of our current rental location at 122 E. Page in Malvern.  We sanded, painted, scraped, washed and renovated floors to ceilings.  We acquired funding, used furniture, consumable books and supplies, rebuilt our literacy library collection and won back our most valuable asset -- students!!!  In April '99 we had our Grand Opening doing business as READ, or Reading Education ADvancement.

For many previous years, we had assisted Ouachita Area Adult Education (OAAE) with their annual haunted house,  receiving part of the funds that were made.  In 1999, they donated all of their props to READ and continued to volunteer, hence the birth of the READ Haunted House (HH).  In October '99 we had our First Annual READ Haunted House in our current office building. 

In 2005 we had another stroke of bad luck that made us more determined and stronger.  We had a break-in through the back window of our rental building.  All of our equipment was stolen or destroyed.  Again, we had a miracle in that bad luck, no one was harmed.  With insurance coverage and a $2,000 grant from our state affiliate, Arkansas Literacy Councils, Inc., we replaced and repaired all equipment.  There was no interruption in the flow of services for our students. 

In 2000 a local landowner donated half of the old West Brother's Dept. store in downtown Malvern to the literacy council.  Our HHs were held there from 2000 to 2005.  The owner of the second half generously allowed us to use his half for the HH during that time period.  In 2005 a trust company had taken over that owner's assets.  After several months, the trust company donated the 322 S. Main Street holdings to Literacy Council of HSC, Inc.  In 2006, we were approached by a realtor from Bryant, Arkansas.  After months of meetings and reflection by multiple owners of that downtown Main Street block, a holding company purchased eighty-percent of the block and built a Walgreen's. 

In June 2006 we had another mini-miracle.  Our staff and volunteers were going crazy looking at properties.  Nothing was suitable or in a price range we could afford.  A board member "happened" onto 123, 125 and 127 Locust Street, and approached the owner about buying those three buildings.  The owner pondered and a meeting was set.  Forty of our staff and volunteers met the owner and toured the property.  That evening we had a Board of Director's meeting.  The decision to buy the property was made.  Although renovation of building one (our eventual office building) is not complete today, we will acquire funding for renovation when the time is right.  When completed, our program will house all functions under one roof.  We will be able to loan our new community room with no fee to other organizations instead of vice-versa.  The two warehouse buildings, 125 and 127 Locust aka buildings two and three, were renovated for storage and fundraising.  The READ HH is held there every year.
   
It is natural for human beings to resist change.  The people that make up the READ Program are not "faint of heart" or afraid to change.  They welcome challenges and change -- that's pretty much what READ is all about.  We hope to change individuals' lives, the lives of their families and of our future generations.  "To teach is to learn twice."  In doing just that, we change.  It is always for the better.  Our community, county, state, country and world change, one person at a time.  Tomorrow offers challenges and risks we are ready to take -- we'd love to share our adventure with you!