New! Text to Give. Text helpMELP or yourbooks to (618)248-4880.  Not case sensitive.
MELP gave out over 10,000 books to the East St. Louis, IL community at a drive-up giveaway in December 2021. Click here to learn more.
What book are you reading? What book are you writing? Our goal is to raise $10,000 through the Metro East Literacy Project Virtual Bookshelf.  List your book title or simply give a general donation. Click here to donate. The money raised will help us with operational expenses. Thank you so much for helping children and adults in our community get books and literacy resources. #HelpMELP
The Metro East Literacy Project is helping to implement the Think Equal program in Illinois and Missouri. Click here to learn more.

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Welcome to the Metro East Literacy Project!

The purpose of the Metro East Literacy Project is to promote literacy to adults and children by providing access to books, libraries, reading lessons, and quality reading experiences.

     I have a grand vision for the Metro East Literacy Project (MELP).

     First, it is to take action steps to encourage third graders to read on grade level. It is not acceptable that 67% of children and 80% of low-income children in this nation are not reading proficiently by the end of third grade, or of any grade for that matter. (see Campaign for Grade Level Reading)

     Second, it is the vision of MELP to build a community of avid, lifelong readers in the St. Louis Metropolitan area who understand and appreciate the inherent value of reading. In order to have a thriving economy, it takes a community of literate, educated and engaged people who can take advantage of resources that strengthen and sustain the overall wellbeing of every human being. Literacy, including health, financial, emotional, and spiritual, is a powerful antidote to a myriad of problems we face. We glean from the lives and thoughts of others. Answers are found everywhere but mostly in the form of the written word.

     I want to bring an awareness of the reading crisis in my community and provide opportunities for people to gravitate toward reading as a great source of entertainment and enlightenment. In other words, I want to promote a culture of reading. I like what author Marita Golden said in her book, The Word, Black Writers Talk About the Transformative Power of Reading and Writing. She says reading a book "provides a private, intimate, sensual experience that results in expansion of the mind and enhancement of the soul." That's probably something we all could use.

     Thank you for visiting this website. Be sure and visit the Metro East Literacy Project Bookshelf fundraising campaign. The Five Pillars of Family Literacy and the The Imitate Reading Initiative pages describe strategies to enhance literacy. Please sign up below for email updates.​

     Be sure and check out my children's book on emotions, How Are You Today? A Celebration of Children's Emotions.
 Many blessings,

Linda M. Mitchell
Executive Director
Promoting a Culture of Reading for Family Transformation
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