Literacy Volunteers of America, Essex & Passaic Counties, NJ Inc.
  • Home
    • About Us
    • Our Services
    • Our Team
    • Our Partners
    • Donate
    • Contact Us
  • Newsletter
    • The Insider 2025 >
      • May 2025
      • April 2025
      • March 2025
      • February 2025
      • January 2025
    • The Insider 2024 >
      • December 2024
      • November 2024
      • October 2024
      • September 2024
      • August 2024
      • July 2024
      • June 2024
      • May 2024
      • April 2024
      • March 2024
      • February 2024
      • January 2024
    • The Insider 2023 >
      • December 2023
      • November 2023
      • October 2023
      • September 2023
      • August 2023
      • July 2023
      • June 2023
      • May 2023
      • February 2023
      • January 2023
    • The Insider 2022 >
      • December 2022
      • November 2022
      • October 2022
      • September 2022
      • August 2022
      • July 2022
      • June 2022
      • May 2022
      • April 2022
      • March 2022
      • February 2022
      • January 2022
    • The Insider 2021 >
      • December 2021
      • November 2021
      • October 2021
      • September 2021
      • August 2021
      • July 2021
      • June 2021
      • May 2021
      • April 2021
      • March 2021
      • February 2021
      • January 2021
    • The Insider 2020 >
      • December 2020
      • November 2020
      • October 2020
      • September 2020
      • August 2020
      • July 2020
      • June 2020
      • May 2020
      • April 2020
      • March 2020
      • February 2020
      • January 2020
    • The Insider 2019 >
      • December 2019
      • November 2019
      • October 2019
      • September 2019
      • August 2019
      • July 2019
      • June 2019
      • May 2019
      • April 2019
      • March 2019
      • February 2019
      • January 2019
    • The Insider 2018 >
      • December 2018
      • November 2018
      • October 2018
      • September 2018
      • August 2018
      • July 2018
      • June 2018
      • May 2018
      • April 2018
      • March 2018
      • February 2018
      • January 2018
    • The Insider 2017 >
      • December 2017
      • November 2017
      • October 2017
      • September 2017
      • August 2017
      • July 2017
      • June 2017
      • May 2017
      • April 2017
      • March 2017
      • February 2017
      • January 2017
    • The Insider 2016 >
      • December 2016
    • The Insider 2015
    • The Insider 2014
    • The Insider 2013
  • Awards
    • AAC 2024
    • AAC 2023
    • NJALL 2022
    • NJALL 2021
    • NJALL 2020
    • AAC 2019
    • ECC 2019
    • NJALL 2019
    • LNJ 2019
    • NJALL 2018
    • LNJ 2018
    • ECC 2017
    • Insider 2016
    • NJALL 2017
    • LNJ 2017
    • NJALL 2016
    • LNJ 2015
    • NJALL 2014
    • POL 2002
  • Success Stories
    • Students' Stories >
      • 2024-25
      • 2023-24
      • 2022-23
      • 2021-22
      • 2020-21
      • 2019-20
      • 2018-19
      • 2017-18
      • 2016-17
      • 2015-16
      • 2014-15
      • 2013-14
    • Tutors' Stories >
      • 2024-25
      • 2023-24
      • 2022-23
      • 2021-22
      • 2020-21
      • 2019-20
      • 2018-19
      • 2017-18
      • 2016-17
      • 2015-16
  • Volunteers
    • Forms
    • Workshops
  • Resources
    • Students Resources >
      • Education Resources
      • Financial Resources
      • Health Resources
      • Immigration Resources
      • Special Needs Resources
    • Tutor Resources >
      • Professional Development
      • Lesson Plans & Materials
    • Apps
    • Distance Learning
Picture

About Us

Who We Are

Fact Sheet

  LVA recruits and trains volunteer tutors; pre-tests, post-tests, and instructs adult students; provides continued in-service training to tutors; provides peer group seminars for students and tutors; and provides ongoing communication with the community it serves.

  LVA provides supervision and continued training to volunteers and professional staff through a systematic process of communication, observation and evaluation.

  Our tutoring services are provided by volunteers who donate their time to help students increase their ability to speak, understand, read, and write English. We look at this contribution as a privilege, not a right, and encourage our students to take full advantage of the opportunities that our volunteers offer.
Picture

Our History

   Ruth Colvin founded Literacy Volunteers in 1962 in Syracuse, New York.  She saw that adult illiteracy was a widespread problem in her area and chose to make a difference in those people’s lives.  Colvin first determined that traditional classroom methods did not work for many illiterate adults.  Consequently, she worked with professional reading consultants to develop a training program to prepare volunteers to specifically tutor adults and older teens, one-on-one, in basic reading and writing. These specially developed tutor training workshops, as well as the additional development of special materials, and her own organizational skills led to the spread of her program from the Finger Lakes region of New York to all across the United States.

   In the 1970’s, Literacy Volunteers of America, New Jersey was established to promote and foster increased literacy throughout the state. In 1986, LVA-NJ established a separate organization in Newark. Besides an active program serving Newark residents, the Newark affiliate established a unique tutoring program at the Northern State Prison. By its 30th anniversary, LVA had 450 affiliates across the country.  Annual national conventions draw new volunteer tutors, trainers, volunteer board members, staff, and students from all regions.  

   Lastly in 1993,  Essex County and Newark LVA associations joined forces to maximize their combined resources.   The new organization became known as LVA, Newark and Essex Counties which currently serves both Essex and Passaic counties.  The organization has continued to grow under the leadership of its current executive director Cristhian Barcelos.

Annual Reports

Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Contact Us
90 Broad Street, Bloomfield, NJ 07003 | (973) 566-6200 x225
195 Gregory Avenue, Passaic, NJ 07055 | (973) 470-0039

Privacy Policy | Terms of Use
  • Home
    • About Us
    • Our Services
    • Our Team
    • Our Partners
    • Donate
    • Contact Us
  • Newsletter
    • The Insider 2025 >
      • May 2025
      • April 2025
      • March 2025
      • February 2025
      • January 2025
    • The Insider 2024 >
      • December 2024
      • November 2024
      • October 2024
      • September 2024
      • August 2024
      • July 2024
      • June 2024
      • May 2024
      • April 2024
      • March 2024
      • February 2024
      • January 2024
    • The Insider 2023 >
      • December 2023
      • November 2023
      • October 2023
      • September 2023
      • August 2023
      • July 2023
      • June 2023
      • May 2023
      • February 2023
      • January 2023
    • The Insider 2022 >
      • December 2022
      • November 2022
      • October 2022
      • September 2022
      • August 2022
      • July 2022
      • June 2022
      • May 2022
      • April 2022
      • March 2022
      • February 2022
      • January 2022
    • The Insider 2021 >
      • December 2021
      • November 2021
      • October 2021
      • September 2021
      • August 2021
      • July 2021
      • June 2021
      • May 2021
      • April 2021
      • March 2021
      • February 2021
      • January 2021
    • The Insider 2020 >
      • December 2020
      • November 2020
      • October 2020
      • September 2020
      • August 2020
      • July 2020
      • June 2020
      • May 2020
      • April 2020
      • March 2020
      • February 2020
      • January 2020
    • The Insider 2019 >
      • December 2019
      • November 2019
      • October 2019
      • September 2019
      • August 2019
      • July 2019
      • June 2019
      • May 2019
      • April 2019
      • March 2019
      • February 2019
      • January 2019
    • The Insider 2018 >
      • December 2018
      • November 2018
      • October 2018
      • September 2018
      • August 2018
      • July 2018
      • June 2018
      • May 2018
      • April 2018
      • March 2018
      • February 2018
      • January 2018
    • The Insider 2017 >
      • December 2017
      • November 2017
      • October 2017
      • September 2017
      • August 2017
      • July 2017
      • June 2017
      • May 2017
      • April 2017
      • March 2017
      • February 2017
      • January 2017
    • The Insider 2016 >
      • December 2016
    • The Insider 2015
    • The Insider 2014
    • The Insider 2013
  • Awards
    • AAC 2024
    • AAC 2023
    • NJALL 2022
    • NJALL 2021
    • NJALL 2020
    • AAC 2019
    • ECC 2019
    • NJALL 2019
    • LNJ 2019
    • NJALL 2018
    • LNJ 2018
    • ECC 2017
    • Insider 2016
    • NJALL 2017
    • LNJ 2017
    • NJALL 2016
    • LNJ 2015
    • NJALL 2014
    • POL 2002
  • Success Stories
    • Students' Stories >
      • 2024-25
      • 2023-24
      • 2022-23
      • 2021-22
      • 2020-21
      • 2019-20
      • 2018-19
      • 2017-18
      • 2016-17
      • 2015-16
      • 2014-15
      • 2013-14
    • Tutors' Stories >
      • 2024-25
      • 2023-24
      • 2022-23
      • 2021-22
      • 2020-21
      • 2019-20
      • 2018-19
      • 2017-18
      • 2016-17
      • 2015-16
  • Volunteers
    • Forms
    • Workshops
  • Resources
    • Students Resources >
      • Education Resources
      • Financial Resources
      • Health Resources
      • Immigration Resources
      • Special Needs Resources
    • Tutor Resources >
      • Professional Development
      • Lesson Plans & Materials
    • Apps
    • Distance Learning