Illiteracy is a vast issue in the United States that is staggering and widely unknown. More than 43 million adults in the United States cannot read, write, or do basic math above a third-grade level. Low literacy skills impact far more than the individual. The societal impacts of low literacy rates are increased rates of poverty, crime, teen pregnancy, substance abuse, and  medical and mental health costs (NCES, LiteracyCenter, 2018). The South Baldwin Literacy Council is located in Foley, AL. Despite this, our impact stretches across all of southern Baldwin County. Ten percent of Baldwin County residents left high school prior to earning their high school diploma - leaving a large population of students seeking to earn their GED. Local schools have large populations of students that are unable to read on grade level. This fact alone qualifies these students for our one on one reading intervention services. Furthermore, students who are unable to read proficiently by the third grade are four times more likely to drop out prior to graduation (ProLiteracy, 2019). In addition, these previously prevalent issues were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. When classrooms transitioned to virtual learning, many students struggled. Younger students fell behind and older students left school in their frustration. The services that we provide cater to students from all educational backgrounds and levels. Approximately five percent of Baldwin County's population is comprised of those with Hispanic or Latino origins. A large portion of this population eagerly wants to learn English to improve their employability, enhance their communication skills, and ultimately become better and more involved community members. The South Baldwin Literacy Council also partners with various substance abuse facilities, homeless shelters, and other non-profits in the area to increase our impact. Learn more about literacy in the United States, here.