Henry Hartford admits it’s his fault he couldn’t read to his son, read his mail, pay his bills or fill out a resume.

“I went through life with an attitude. If somebody looked at me wrong, I’d just want to fight. I got made fun of in school, got called names, so I’d beat them up. I wasn’t getting anywhere. I suddenly found myself in tenth grade and I couldn’t read, so I dropped out.”

Now 53, Hartford is into his third year in the Read for Literacy program. He beams when he says he can now read to his grandchildren.

The East Toledoan is one of an estimated 39,000 adults living in Lucas, Wood and Ottawa counties who lack the basic reading and writing skills necessary for everyday life, according to Jim Funk, director of Toledo’s Read for Literacy program, the largest all-volunteer literacy program in the nation.

Funk said these adults typically have trouble finding work to achieve self-sufficiency. Tragically, because they cannot read to their children or help with homework, the inability to read is handed down perpetuating the cycle of illiteracy and dependency.

Illiteracy is more prevalent in inner-city schools than in the suburbs, Funk said. A recent study of Toledo Public School students illustrates the point. Thirty-five percent of all students entering TPS as kindergarteners score on the lowest tier on the kindergarten readiness test. Funk says it’s hard to overcome this bad start. The same percentages hold true for both the fourth and eighth-grade reading tests.

These sobering statistics sparked a change in the organization’s mission, Funk said. In addition to providing services to adults who can’t read and those who are learning English as a second language, the group recently launched its Creating Young Readers program. The goal is to break the cycle of illiteracy through one-on-one tutoring and by providing students with free books. For many, these will be the only books they have in their home.

Locally, young reader programs are held at the East Toledo Family Center and the Eastern YMCA. However, there is a shortage of tutors in East Toledo and Oregon for both the young reader and adult programs, so Funk recently made an appearance before The East Toledo Club to solicit volunteers. Charter One Bank recently signed on, offering their employees as tutors.

Tutors typically meet with their student for two 90-minute sessions each week.

The one-on-one sessions are critical, Funk says. It takes three to four years to turn an illiterate adult into a capable reader, sometimes longer.

John Boose, 62, has been with the program since 2006. He was born in Arkansas and has a tenth grade education. He was injured in a work accident and suffered third and fourth-degree burns over 35 percent of his body. The accident affected his memory and his cognitive skills. But, his desire to read The Bible and learn how to use a cell phone and a computer drives him to stay with the program. He’s not discouraged by how long it’s taken him to learn and he doesn’t read as well as he’d like to, but he is appreciative of the dedication his tutor has shown him and he looks forward to his twice-a-week sessions.

“I feel if somebody else is going to take time out of their life and dedicate it to help me, then I should be able to be there. That’s the way I see it.”

Both Hartford and Boose said they had to overcome a primal fear to learn how to read—shame. Hartford said he hid his shame by memorizing everything. That helped him with street signs and simple words, but he was still lost with anything new. Here’s what Boose said, “If you learn not to be ashamed, it’s better for you. When you’re ashamed, you don’t want people to see you. You don’t want people to notice you can’t read. It’s a problem. You should face it and go on and get it out there.”

Hartford has taken the next step in his development as a reader. He is a van transportation coordinator for The Thomas M. Wernert Center, a mental health agency in Toledo. He uses his ability to read to plan routes and schedule drivers. The job is not one he could have had a few years ago. The job has not only proven to be rewarding, it also has helped change his attitude about life.

“I started helping other people and that helped me,” he said.

To learn more, or to volunteer, call Jim Funk at 419-242-7323. Tutors are needed in both East Toledo and Oregon, particularly those who are bilingual in English and Spanish. Comment at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

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