Literacy in Action
Empowering Minds, Strengthening Futures
At Angels of Action, we believe that literacy is more than just reading—it’s the key to unlocking potential, building confidence, and creating brighter futures. Just as we nourish children with food, we strive to feed their minds by strengthening reading and math skills through Literacy in Action
Join Us as a Tutor / Student Success Coach!
We are looking for dedicated volunteers to serve as Tutor/Student Success Coaches in reading and math. These coaches mentor, guide, and support children, helping them develop strong literacy and numeracy skills. With your time and encouragement, students can grow, achieve their goals, and gain the confidence they need to succeed.
What is Literacy in Action?
LIA is an incentive-based literacy program serving children and families in Mecosta and Osceola counties. The program fosters growth and development with the goal of strengthening families and empowering children.
How Literacy in Action Makes a Difference
Encourages a Love for Reading – Improves vocabulary, comprehension, and imagination while reducing stress and building confidence.
Provides One-on-One & Group Support – Tutor/Student Success Coaches work with children to improve literacy and math skills.
Strengthens Families – LIA offers parental support and resources for adults seeking to improve literacy for career and personal growth.
Rewards Learning – Through generous donations of new and gently-used books, students earn books as incentives for reaching their reading goals.
Expands Our Reach – Beyond our LIA students, we also distribute books four times a year to children in our Backpack Blessings program, ensuring that even more kids have access to the joy of reading.
How You Can Help
Become a Tutor/Student Success Coach – Volunteer to support children in reading and math.
Support the Program – Your generosity allows us to expand and reach more families.
Interested In Becoming A Tutor / Success Coach?
Together we can turn the page to a brighter future
one child, one book, and one moment of learning at a time.
Literacy In Action Spotlight
When Buddy came to us, he was unable to read the words on a page. Trying to read would frustrate him so greatly that he would put the book down and simply refuse. As a first grader, Buddy lacked the confidence in reading out loud at such an extreme level he even resisted in the comforting presence of his own mother.
Knowing that he needed help, Buddy’s mother, Melissa contacted Literacy In Action. At the time of concern, Melissa and her family was already receiving support from Angels of Action, working her way to a better life on a Journey Plan with the HUB. Because of the connections she has made at Angels of Action, Melissa knew LIA was a safe place for her son to receive the help he needed with reading.
Buddy joined LIA in May of 2021. He was a 1st grader who wasn’t able to read at a kindergarten level. The tutors at LIA took Buddy under their wing and began lessons once a week.
Focusing on sight words, letter recognition, and phonics, Buddy was able to meet his goals, time and time again over the past 16 months. Showing significant growth in all categories, Buddy is now taking on chapter books as he begins 2nd grade.
While the school year begins, Buddy continues to have weekly sessions with our volunteer tutors at LIA. Buddy’s mother, Melissa shared with us, “Buddy likes to read and really enjoys picking out books at the library.” She continued, “I am proud of what he has become, if it wasn’t for Angels of Action he would still be struggling with reading.”
LIA was founded because of a need that co-founder and President of Angels of Action, Joni Thompson, helped recognize in the community about five years ago. During a Mecosta Reads meeting, where a group of people would come together to conduct research and analyze data about the reading levels in the county, Joni decided that Literacy In Action would be a program that could positively impact the community in a large way.
Currently, LIA offers one-on-one sessions with volunteer tutors. For the tutors at LIA, it’s about so much more than just helping those in need. They have care and love for the students they help and truly want to see them succeed. LIA is currently helping 14 students a month, and two adults who are working towards brightening their future.
Programs like this take the whole community, volunteer tutors, book donations, and volunteer organizers are what makes LIA thrive.