Big D has a big problem and it’s not pretty. The effects are far-reaching and hit closer to home than you would imagine.
Simply put, the problem is adults who cannot read. By 2030, over 1/3 of adults in Dallas will be illiterate. That’s over 1 million North Texans.
Poor adult reading skills annually bloat our healthcare costs (over $250B), leads to early mortality rates and results in chronic underemployment (over 42K unplaced jobs in Dallas alone). All of these factors directly contribute to increased poverty and crime in our North Texas communities. Low adult literacy creates a widespread domino effect, impacting our entire community and creating a vicious cycle of poverty for generations to come. To confront this societal problem head on, Literacy Instruction for Texas (LIFT) has partnered with Agency Creative to create a PSA campaign to spread the word and positively change the future of our community.
Founded in 1961, Literacy Instruction for Texas (LIFT) is the premier adult literacy non-profit working to enhance lives and strengthen communities by providing adults with the tools they need to meet their educational goals. Through LIFT’s highly-accredited program and partnership with the world-renowned Shelton School, LIFT is courageously taking on the chain reaction of crippling effects that directly stem from poor adult reading levels. With 56 years of leadership in the space, LIFT has changed thousands of lives with the help of highly-trained volunteer teachers.
LIFT offers a variety of adult literacy programs with best-in-class teaching techniques. What sets LIFT apart is their vertically integrated curricula built on the evidence-based approach from the Shelton School and other highly-accredited sources. Because of this expertise, LIFT is the only organization that can take an adult from a reading ability below 2nd grade to the successful completion of high-school equivalency certification. Because LIFT is committed to changing the daily lives of adults, all programs focus on improving workplace literacy and increasing employability. Classes are taught by LIFT’s 375 active and specially trained volunteers, who are a crucial part of the organization.
After a rigorous selection process, LIFT named Agency Creative as their partner in bringing attention to the colossal escalating problem of adult illiteracy and its community-wide impact. When asked, LIFT President & CEO Lisa Hembry said “We selected Agency Creative because they had a strategic vision that matched our own—we have clearly found a passionate partner.”
Through this partnership, LIFT and Agency Creative will launch a multi-year adult illiteracy awareness campaign seeking to shift the mindset of the public from indifference to compassion. The integrated campaign will be multi-tiered, utilizing traditional, digital and experiential tactics working in concert to drive awareness of this urgent issue of adult illiteracy within the DFW market. A community–wide problem requires a communal solution. By developing awareness and empathy, we can energize North Texans to get involved, volunteer and donate. Together, we can shape the future of North Texas and ensure our communities remain safe, healthy and prosperous.
