Changing Lives and Building Bridges

One of Richardson’s not-forprofit shining stars is the Richardson Adult Literacy Center (RALC). Founded in 1990, RALC’s purpose is to transform lives by providing English as a Second Language and workforce readiness programs to adults who live and/or work in the Richardson community and desire to learn or improve their ability to speak English. RALC operates on the Theory of Change: by improving their students’ English language proficiency and workforce readiness, RALC will positively change their students’ families and the communities in which they live.

RALC reaches potential students by partnering with local organizations and businesses to share the programs that the Center offers. Working through local faith-based communities, community-based organizations, schools and libraries, the team at RALC strives to reach as many people as possible. They also use a variety of social media platforms, email, flyers and posters to disseminate information.

But word of mouth seems to provide the best marketing. States RALC Board of Directors President Daniel Burdette, “Our students are our biggest fans and help spread the word about the wonderful benefits of enrolling with RALC.”

Burdette has been volunteering at RALC since 2012; he has served on the board for approximately three years and was elected to the position of President in January 2023. When Burdette is asked what makes him most proud to be associated with the nonprofit, he replies, “In addition to ESL classes, RALC offers Workforce Readiness classes (one of the primary reasons students indicate as their motivation for learning English) as well as a Citizen Preparation Course, in partnership with the law firm Berry Appleman & Leiden.

Another amazing thing about RALC is that all of our ESL teachers are volunteers! It never ceases to amaze me how generous our friends and neighbors are with their time and energy, and what a positive impact they make in our community.”

As the community of people seeking their services grows, RALC is recognizing that the demand for services now surpasses the bandwidth of their current staff. Three out of the four staff members only work parttime, so an expansion of services will require converting some additional staff to full-time positions. In 2023, the RALC board hopes to promote greater awareness in the community of the services offered, expanding their support from corporate sponsors and local donors so that they have adequate budgetary means to provide services to even more Richardson residents.

The first three months of 2023 have been busy ones at the Center. Currently 317 students are enrolled in ESL classes and 25 are registered for the Citizenship Preparation Course. In addition, more than 50 students are registered for a series of Digital Literacy classes. On top of teaching, RALC hosted a retreat and elected new board members. Book Club and Beginning and Advanced Writing & Conversation classes began.

RALC is also finalizing plans for their upcoming annual Murder Mystery fundraiser to be held April 1. They are launching a new website, training volunteer teachers, hosting a kickoff for those new teachers, and hosting roundtable discussions which will give teachers a chance to share best practices with one another.

Thanks to the team at RALC, adult students will improve their employability, become more engaged in their children’s educations, and enhance their civic engagement, thereby becoming more independent and integrated into the community. RALC students consistently report that the combination of ESL education, community mentorship, and post-RALC education help them to achieve their goals.

RALC is just one of many incredible nonprofits in Richardson. When Burdette, a dedicated Richardson volunteer, is asked what makes him want to be a part of RALC and the greater nonprofit community, he replies, “I believe in the idea from scripture that ‘to whom much is given, much will be required’ and feel that Richardson provides so many impactful ways to give back and elevate our community. My wife Catherine and I have found that if you express an interest in serving in Richardson, whether it be through a nonprofit, a faith community, a city commission or board, or your local neighborhood, you will be put to work! We love living out our family motto in Richardson: Work hard. Play hard. Give back.”

To learn more about the Richardson Adult Literacy Center, call 972.644.5119 or visit http://ralc.org.