Metro East Literacy Project

Play Games With Real People!

Play games like Scrabble, Bananagrams, and more. All ages can play. We’re practicing for the real event in December. Your feedback will help us get this right. Players and volunteers are needed.

Registration is preferred. Click here to register.

ERUDITE NATION

WILL YOU HELP BUILD IT?

Illinois' first Erudite Nation family. From left, Cortez; Linda Mitchell, Encouragement Team Volunteer; Ashlei and son, Rayquion; mom Patricia; and Mortez. This family received their bag of 25 books. Photo by Odell Mitchell Jr.

Encouragement Team Volunteers (ETVs) encourage families in their literacy journey. They follow up with families after they have received a bag of books and support them in their strengths, using positive, affirming words.
Learn more about becoming an Encouragement Team Volunteer.

Encourage remotely. Online Encouragement Team Volunteer trainings are held the fourth Saturday of each month, except June, November, and December.
Register here.

What do families have to say about receiving a bag of books?
Visit the MELP YouTube channel to see videos.

New! Text to Give. Text helpMELP or yourbooks to (618)248-4880. Not case sensitive.

Check out our 2022 Year-End Snapshot. Click here.

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. Donate today.

Get Involved

Volunteer

Donate Books

Teach Reading

Welcome to the Metro East Literacy Project!

The purpose of the Metro East Literacy Project nonprofit organization 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. All of our efforts are encapsulated into ERUDITE NATION.

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.

Many blessings,

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

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