Donate
Give the gift of literacy
Every day Literacy Suffolk makes a difference in the lives of adults and their families by giving them the English skills needed to find jobs, advocate for their children, make better decisions about their health, improve their communities, and participant in the civic life of our county and nation.
As a recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Literacy Suffolk addresses the needs of functionally illiterate adults from all walks of life. Most of our students are immigrants, but we also serve adults who have grown up and gone to school here. For over forty years, we have provided services to thousands of Suffolk County residents.
Your donation helps us to train volunteer tutors and testers, support their work, and reduce the number of students waiting to be matched with tutors.
A $10 monthly donation will support three new tutors being matched with three or more new students this year!
Thanks to the generosity of our donors, during the past year:
- several of our students and former students have become U.S. citizens
- a mother got a better job with medical benefits important to her family
- a student who left school before the sixth grade in her home country is now planning to work on her G.E.D.
- a man who did not learn to read in his Long Island high school is working on getting a driver’s license so he can get a job
- a graduate has become active in the PTA where her children go to school and is an informal advocate for families at the school who recently immigrated to this country.
- and hundreds of Literacy Suffolk “graduates’ interact daily in their communities in countless ways that fully literate English speakers take for granted.
How can I make a tax-deductible contribution?
- Donate online, simply and safely, by clicking here.
- Call the Literacy Suffolk office 631-286-1649 and make a donation with your credit card.
- Mail a check payable to: Literacy Suffolk, 627 North Sunrise Service Rd., Bellport, NY 11713
What are some other ways to give?
Bequests: Remember adult literacy in your will. If you wish to leave a gift to Literacy Suffolk, you may use the following language: “I give and bequeath (the sum of $) to Literacy Suffolk, Inc. a not-for-profit organization, chartered in New York and located at 627 North Sunrise Service Rd., Bellport, NY 11713.”
We strongly advise you to consult your attorney before writing or amending your will.
Corporate matching gifts: Many companies offer employees a matching gift benefit that doubles (or more) your gift to Literacy Suffolk. Contact your company’s human resources department to find out if your employer has a matching gifts program.
Memorial or In Honor of: You can make a gift in memory or in honor of someone. To make a gift of this nature, you may call the Literacy Suffolk office or write a note with your instructions.
Volunteer at Literacy Suffolk
Literacy Suffolk is primarily a volunteer organization. A small staff coordinates the work of nearly two hundred tutors and testers. Still, the need for both far outstrips the number of student applicants. You can help by:
- Becoming a tutor. Tutors work one-on-one with both native English speakers who read and write below the sixth-grade level and with non-native students seeking English speaking fluency. Learn more.
- Becoming a tester. Literacy Suffolk needs volunteers to test students before being matched with tutors and to assess student progress periodically once matched. Learn more.
- Volunteering in another way. Literacy Suffolk needs other volunteers to help with events, enter data, ensure that our files are compliant with State Education requirements, and call tutors and students. Fluency in Spanish and English would be particularly helpful for volunteers calling our students.
If you have other skills and interests that you think might benefit Literacy Suffolk, please contact Susan Shiloni, our executive director at sshiloni@literacysuffolk.org or 631-286-1649.