South Carolina has the 13th highest rate of functional illiteracy in the United States. The need for Adult Education Classes and English as a Second Language (ESL) continues to grow in the Lowcountry.
Education is a significant factor when it comes to income and serves as a strong predictor of poverty. In Beaufort County, 28% of people who have not completed high school live below the poverty line. In Jasper County, that number is 25%.
Education and literacy are connected with personal income, employment levels, health, and overall economic growth for our community. Simply learning English could cut the numbers living in poverty in half. Studies show that those with more education earn higher salaries over their lifetime.
– Better math skills can increase salary by $21,000 per year.
– Improvement in reading and writing skills could spark an $11,000 increase in annual salary.
– Graduating with a high school diploma is equivalent to an additional almost $7,000 in annual salary.
The impact of quality education and Bluffton Self Help’s supportive programming is undeniable. We know a neighbor, a neighbor’s family and ultimately our community can be positively impacted by education and skill development.
EDUCATION OPENS DOORS TO OPPORTUNITIES
This year, Bluffton Self Help will offer more than a dozen classes and workshops to more than 400 adult learners to improve literacy, gain skills, attain better employment and reach personal success. Each of our adult students and their families has Client Advocates available to them to help overcome any additional barriers they may face including meeting their basic needs, employment transitions, applying for higher education, and navigating the benefits and resources available to them. We walk alongside all of our neighbors to ensure they are moving forward to reach their goals.
You, our community, are a part of their journey. Your investment paves the way for getting a job that pays a livable wage, earning a GED diploma, gaining valuable life skills, going to college, or becoming a U.S. citizen. These accomplishments and so many more are transforming lives for generations, creating economic well-being and a better community for all.
Bluffton Self Help invests more than $1,200 per student each year to help them achieve their success. Your investment will help us continue to reach more students in innovative and encouraging ways.
You have the power to transform lives through education. Please consider investing today.
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