Queens Community House launches family literacy initiative | Politics - ValueWalk

Queens Community House (QCH) is a multi-service settlement house serving more than 25,000 children, youth, adults and older adults every year. Our mission is to provide individuals and families with the tools to enrich their lives and build healthy, inclusive communities. Through a broad network of programs operating out of 32 sites in 14 neighborhoods, we offer Queens residents a needed support system at every stage of life, helping them to develop the knowledge, confidence and skills to change their lives for the better and become active participants in their larger community.

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Anna Peel, professional writer reports, Queens Community House Chief Strategies Officer, Dennis Redmond, illustrates the series of events that made it possible for us to provide critically-needed family literacy initiatives to thousands of Queens families. A warm and inspiring story, just in time for the holidays.

Queens settlement house launches family literacy initiative thanks to a local volunteer, a U.S. Treasury Secretary, and a private equity firm
Photo: smpratt90 / Pixabay

Almost 20 years ago, Rebecca Lew came into Queens Community House (QCH) to take a free computer class. Rebecca came to QCH because learning to use computers had been hard for her and, although middle-aged, she wanted “to keep up with the times.” I taught that computer class, and very much enjoyed getting to know her. Her self-deprecating sense of humor, her kindness, and her openness to learning charmed me and many others in our class. Once the course had ended, Rebecca returned as a volunteer assistant for the next cohort. She openly laughed about her own very-real struggle with computers, which helped to relieve the anxiety of the incoming students. 

Over the years, Rebecca and I would occasionally bump into each other around the neighborhood and catch up. She still grappled with computers, she would tell me, but was undeterred and continued to take classes.  
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Source: ValueWalk