Community Learning CenterServing Philadelphia’s most impoverished communities for over 30 years, Community Learning Center (CLC) provides no-cost academic classes and life-changing career readiness training in order to empower and elevate the large population of low-literate, low-income adults in Philadelphia so that they may accomplish their education, work, and family goals. With 1,200 learners served in 2019, CLC presents a long-term solution to vulnerable adults seeking to break out of their cycle of poverty by equipping them with the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in postsecondary education, to compete in the 21st century economy, and to actively engage with their families and communities.

Academic Offerings High School Equivalency Classes

• Reading and Language Arts

• Mathematics

• Science

• Social Studies

Small Group Tutoring for Beginning Readers

English as Second Language (ESL) Classes

Special OfferingsU.S. Citizenship and Civics Classes

Distance Learning Classes

Just the Factsin 2019...

2019 IMPACT REPORT

86%of our high school level

learners graduated — the

highest graduation rate

of any other state-funded

adult education nonprofit

in Pennsylvania.

Community Learning Center met or exceeded Pennsylavania’s adult learning

gain targets for every

educational category, from

Beginning ESL to Adult

secondary Education.

CLC is Philadelphia’s only state-funded adult literacy

program to exceed national

GED exam pass rates for a

fourth consecutive year.

1,200 Learners served by CLC’s myPLACE Campuses

4,447 Hours of academic instruction

86% Learners graduating with their High School Equivalency

70%Job placement for learners seeking employment

Career and Higher Education One-to-One Career Coaching

Resume Writing

Career Exploration Activities

PA CareerLink Programs

Job Application Workshops

Interview Support Services

College Application Assistance

Workshops and SeminarsFinancial Literacy

Digital Literacy

Life Skills Coaching

From Our New Executive Director

Dear Friends,

I am honored to have the privilege of joining Community Learning Center’s committed team of learners, teachers, and supporters. As a longtime teacher, I believe in literacy not only as the singular most essential skill that is critical to lifelong success, but also as a basic human right. Throughout my career as an educator, I tried to instill a love of learning in my students and families so that they would enjoy all the benefits and pleasures of an intellectual life beyond the classroom. In working with our adult learners at CLC, the term “lifelong learning” has taken on an even deeper meaning as an absolute imperative for our city’s economic success.

Adults at the lowest literacy and numeracy levels have a higher rate of unemployment and earn lower wages than the national average, costing our city hundreds of millions of dollars annually in non-productivity in the workforce, crime, and loss of tax revenue. Technology and innovation are rapidly polarizing the workforce in every industry. Medium-skilled jobs are shrinking, while high- and low-skilled job opportunities are growing. Family-sustaining jobs require a very specific set of lifelong learning skills. The most valuable are the abilities to consume information, think about it critically, and express one’s point of view effectively. From reading instruction manuals to problem-solving to writing a cohesive email, longterm success depends upon these skills.

In order to provide all Philadelphians equitable access to these vital skills, communities must offer rigorous, high-quality literacy instruction. Some argue that technology has democratized access to information for anyone with a smartphone, however these innovations alone do not level the playing field. The sheer pace of change means that knowledge demands are greater. A standard list of 2,000 sight words once enabled learners to read 90% of texts found in high schools. Today, a whole new specialized discourse exists in cyberspace, making its way into the mainstream at a pace like never before. While helping to streamline some tasks, technology has simultaneously introduced new complexities for illiterate and low-literate adults who cannot perform the seemingly everyday task of being able to read and understand this letter that I am writing to you now.

For the nearly 600,000 illiterate and low-literate adults in Philadelphia, these are especially complex skills to teach and learn. Yet that is what we do at CLC everyday. Our services go beyond traditional GED and ESL instruction to include equally important competencies such as computer and financial literacy, resume writing and career readiness, and individual student support services that help reduce the barriers incurred by so many of our vulnerable and impoverished learners. Through our comprehensive “education to employment” curriculum, CLC teachers equip learners with the ability to navigate complex texts in all genres, collaborate with others to build knowledge, solve non-routine problems together by exploring multiple perspectives, and share their reasoning effectively through speaking, writing, and other media.

For adults who cannot read, participating productively in daily life is overwhelming, affecting not only their families, but our community as a whole. Learning isn’t just something that happens. It truly does take a village, and I am deeply grateful to our dedicated teachers, tutors, and supporters who make a difference everyday in the lives of the 1,200 adults whom CLC served in 2019. In reading through this impressive report of impact, I invite you to celebrate with me the life-changing power of literacy.

In gratitude,

Kimmell J. Proctor Executive Director

An investment of $5,000 to raise an average Philadelphia adult’s education levels enough to qualify for a good job will be returned in $6,750 in tax revenues and public expense benefits each year.

~ Philadelphia Adult Literacy Alliance

Who are CLC’s Learners?Community Learning Center serves low-income teens and adults in Philadelphia, specifically targeting ages 16 and older who:

• Did not complete high school

• Have less than 8th grade skills in reading, writing, and/or math

• Are unemployed, underemployed, or receive public assistance

• Have limited English proficiency

Learners attending classes at our community campuses are:

“I go to CLC to feel

good about who I am.

I’ve had a tough life, so

it’s time to finally have

something positive.”

–Mitchell Foster, Current CLC Learner

“CLC taught me so much

about America and why

I wanted to become

a citizen.”

–Ewan Gilpin, 2019 CLC Citizenship Class Graduate

“Some people think CLC

only helps you get a

high school diploma;

this place gave me

so much more.”

–Shervon Trippett, 2019 CLC Graduate

In 2019, 101 volunteers performed

4,000 hours of service, including:

Reading & Math Tutoring

ESL Support

Career Readiness Activities

Computer/IT Assistance

Clerical/Office Support

Facilities Improvement

The success of CLC’s programs would not be possible without our team of dedicated volunteers.

2019 VOLUNTEERS

101 volunteers

4,000 volunteer

hours served

$15.36 value of one

volunteer hour served

$60K+ value

Recent Success StoriesEvery day, Community Learning Center changes lives through programs that build academic skills as well as confidence and perseverance.

2019 Star Learner Latasha Campbell Latasha earned her GED from CLC’s North Philadelphia campus in March 2019. Prior to enrollment, she faced significant challenges, including the loss of a family member, incarceration, and substance abuse. CLC provided the inspiration she needed to get her life back on track and accomplish her goals. Through intensive academic support and career guidance, Latasha is now able to pursue a career in Behavioral Health so that she can make a positive impact on her community.

Latasha Campbell (right) with CLC Career Coach Kieran Farrell Teacher, Dan Waters’ multilingual ESL class

84% African American, a group with the city’s highest unemployment rate at 17.7%

57% Women

21% Immigrants

61% Under age 40

13% Other Ethnic Minorities

83% Low-income with household earnings under $30,000/year

CLC is an an outcome-oriented agency, and has

a well-earned reputation for providing excellent

instruction, comprehensive referrals, and supportive

case management services. Throughout our

partnership, CLC’s team of professionals has

helped us to be better serve our customers.

-Christopher Paul, Site Administrator, CareerLink West

Our Partners

Community PartnersJEVS Human ServicesDrexel UniversityPennsylvania CareerLinkPhiladelphia Works, Inc.Office of Adult EducationFree Library of PhiladelphiaBridging the GapsPhiladelphia Citizenship Action NetworkEDSI

Corporate PartnersPECOJP Morgan ChaseCitizens BankIndependence Blue CrossKeystone FirstExude, Inc.Philadelphia Suburban Development CorporationPhiladelphia Federal Credit Union

“

“

CLC’s work in the community to address the wide-

spread continuing issue of adult literacy is rooted in

their great compassion for our city and its far too

many under-privileged citizens.

-Julie Jones, Associate Vice President, AP & Procurement Services, Drexel University

Why should kids get all the fun? Three adult teams from Exude, Citizens Bank, and CLC battled it out to determine the best spellers in the area during this inaugural fund-raiser. The competition was hosted at PECO with award

winning actor, Johnnie Hobbs, Jr. as the event’s engagingemcee. Win or lose, the participants all agreed the Spelling Bee was a rousing success and the first of what will become CLC’s signature annual event.

1st Annual Spelling BeeRaised $27,000

Sponsors

CLC Revenue Sources

v

Government

Foundation Grants

Fee ForService

Individuals

Annual Event

69%

69%

12%

12%9%

9%

7%

7%

3%

Enrico Crispo, President

Robert Young, Vice President

Lisa McLemore, Treasurer

Jeffrey K. Daman, Secretary

Alison Diflorio

Mary Flournoy

Caleb Garcia

Lisa Getzfrid

Dale Mezzacappa

Ivy McDaniels

Karen Michael

CLC Board of Directors

Team CLC (Dan Waters, Joanne Laub, Marcus Hall, and Denise Vrooman) with Celebrity Emcee: Johnnie Hobbs, Jr., Actor and Winner of Barrymore Awards Lifetime Achievement Award