 Jerry Schillinger and his wife, Alberta, in a Des Moines Register photo. |
A column in the Oct. 28 issue of The Des Moines Register features a Des Moines man who is learning to read and gain independence after seeking help through Drake’s Adult Literacy Center.
Marc Hansen wrote about Jerry Schillinger, a Des Moines man who was unable to read the simplest of signs or a restaurant menu until he sought assistance from Drake’s Adult Literacy Center. The 54-year-old, once worried about keeping his job, is planning to cast a ballot on his own for the first time in next Tuesday’s election. He previously relied on his wife, Alberta, to help him read his ballot.
The Drake University Adult Literacy Center was founded in 1976 with a grant from the Department of Health, Education and Welfare. Though the grant ended, volunteers have kept the program running.
Coordinator Anne Murr — the only staff member — organizes a team of volunteers who serve more than 100 students every year, making it the largest adult literacy program in the state of Iowa.
Read the entire article on The Des Moines Register website.