About Us

What we do… We provide life-changing opportunities for adults who struggle with basic literacy skills. For many students, our program is their last opportunity to gain the ability to survive in a fast-paced and technically advanced society. By doing this, we believe we help solve social issues such as crime, poverty, poor parenting skills, and dependency. Through participation in our programs, adults become more capable, committed, and able to improve their lives. It’s common for us to see tangible differences in the quality of life for our students and their families.

Our Mission We teach essential literacy skills.

Our Values We believe that the ability to read is an essential element of survival. Our high quality, community-based literacy programs empower adults to reach their full potential as individuals, employees, parents, citizens, and community members. We believe:

  • everyone must learn to read in order to succeed.
  • the U.S. needs a literate and educated workforce to continue to compete.
  • illiteracy accounts for many of the socio-economic issues in the world.
  • literacy can change the fate of entire communities around the globe.
  • literacy is the promise for peace and the potential for empowerment.
  • literacy is the foundation of a better world.

Our Vision

“Education is the key to unlocking solutions to all the world’s problems. Reading strengthens individuals. Strong individuals make stronger communities and stronger communities make a stronger, more educated, and more peaceful world.”

– – – Martha Fredendall, Executive Director of Literacy Outreach

Our Community Support “Literacy Outreach gives illiterate adults the lifelong gift of education.” More than 36 million Americans are functionally illiterate, which means they cannot read or do basic math beyond a third-grade level. When adults have an inability to read and compute, it hinders them from reaching their potential as parents and citizens and prevents them from participating fully in society.

Our Impact Since 1986, we have trained more than 1,000 tutors and taught over 2,500 students. Although our commitment is local, our vision is global. 

A Board of Directors who represents a variety of industries throughout Garfield County including banking, education, marketing, and media governs our organization. The Board is comprised of eleven members, each of whom is elected to the board for three years.

 

  • Martha Fredendall, Executive Director of Literacy Outreach brings a background in technology, having spent 10 years in the computer field. Her major in English and minor in Spanish from Central Michigan University have served her well working with a large Latino population based in Garfield County.
  • Ted Doll has over 30 years of business experience in computer technology.  He has 12 years of teaching e-Business and business on the web to college business students. His volunteer work includes being an AARP instructor teaching 50+-year-old students new methods of automobile driving and being a volunteer at Alpine Hospice in Glenwood Springs.
  • Maria Claire Jacobi has served on the board since 2009. After graduating from Basalt High School, she attended the University of Colorado at Boulder ‘s College of Engineering and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Architectural Engineering. She is a licensed Professional Engineer and Structural Engineer with over 20 years of experience in this field. She returned to the Roaring Fork Valley in 2005 and has enjoyed being part of this wonderful community by serving with Literacy Outreach.

Community Support We are grateful to live in a community that understands the value we bring to the community. Here are some of the individuals and businesses that support the mission of literacy.

Businesses

Location Literacy Outreach and the Teo Prinster Learning Center are located at 1127 School Street in Glenwood Springs.  The Center is on the south end of School Street behind the Forest Service building.

Map 1127 School Street_CMYK