[Literacy] plays a vital role in the economy, can help make the community a safer place to live in, and gives the future generation a chance at success.
Tampa Bay, FL (PRWEB) September 14, 2015
45 million Americans are functionally illiterate. This statistic is more alarming when taking into account the fact that the inability to read is the reason why between 46 and 51% of American adults have an income well below the poverty level. (1) Because illiteracy has such a strong, negative societal impact, full-service energy consulting company Consumer Energy Solutions (CES) has been a strong supporter of the Community Learning Center (CLC) for many years. CES has also assisted in fundraising events for the center.
Founded in 1998, the CLC is a non-profit tutoring organization. The CLC provides academic support to everyone, children and adults, regardless of income level. The purpose of the CLC is to improve the lives of children and families through effective education, inspiration, creativity and making learning fun, relevant and a lifelong activity. CLC staff and volunteers tutor about 40 low-income students per week. They also provide free homework help, teen-mentoring programs, and affordable professional tutoring. The CLC carries programs including free workshops for parents and educators, SAT/ACT help, English as a second language and home school support, however they also provide programs not found elsewhere including a Code Academy class that teaches teens to build websites and monthly business education seminars.
In 2013, the Community Learning Center was able to move from a 1,500 square foot facility to a fully renovated 7,200 square foot building. The move and renovations were funded in part via a $20,000 award from Chase Bank and a $50,000 award from Pepsi. The ribbon cutting ceremony was held on October 2, 2013 and was attended by over 200 people including local officials and community leaders.
Tampa Bay Buccaneer, Leonard Johnson, is a notable alumnus of the CLC, having received personal tutoring free of charge from the CLC when he was 12-years-old. Johnson recently gave back to the CLC during “Buccaneers Break Out for Kids!” held on June 14.
“We have a social responsibility to better the environment around us,” says CES Community PR Representative Lynn Posyton. “Literacy affects so many walks of life. It plays a vital role in the economy, can help make the community a safer place to live in, and gives the future generation a chance at success.”
The CLC is currently undergoing another facelift. The interior and exterior is being fully renovated for increased delivery. CES helped to make this renovation happen. “We are hoping for a fall grand re-opening,” Posyton stated. “In the meantime, all services are continuing at the smaller 1411 N. Fort Harrison location without a hiccup.”
CLC welcomes tax deductible donations from all who wish to help in the fight against illiteracy. Go to http://www.CommunityLearningCenterTutoring.com and click on DONATE. You can also go to CLC’s link at VolunteerMatch.org to connect up on a volunteer basis: http://www.volunteermatch.org/search/org855206.jsp#.VfBVMU6AEYc.facebook.
For more information about Consumer Energy Solutions and its community betterment efforts, visit http://www.consumerenergysolutions.com/community-betterment-news/.
About Consumer Energy Solutions, Inc.:
Headquartered in Clearwater, FL, Consumer Energy Solutions, Inc. (CES) is one of the nation’s foremost full-service energy consulting companies, with over two million residential and 300,000 commercial customers across the United States and Canada, including many Fortune 500 companies. Founded in 1999 by Patrick J. Clouden, CES transitioned in 2004 from selling primarily to residential customers to selling primarily to businesses. The company’s long-standing relationships with the largest independent energy suppliers in the U.S., coupled with its unparalleled knowledge of the industry, give CES customers access to the most competitive electricity and natural gas rates available in their area. CES is dedicated to educating its customers about the choices available to them as energy consumers, and to helping them, in a volatile energy market, to balance short-term savings against long-term risk. The company’s mission is to assist its commercial clients in better managing their energy costs so as to add to their bottom line. CES is an industry leader in providing its clients with effective strategies and solutions to reduce energy costs. References are available upon request. For more information, visit http://www.consumerenergysolutions.com.
1. “Staggering Illiteracy Statistics”; Literacy Project Foundation. literacyprojectfoundation.org/community/statistics/