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Whatcom Literacy Council is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that offers free English Language Learner programs to help adults learn English, improve literacy, practice English conversation, prepare for a GED, prepare for citizenship, and learn basic computer skills in Whatcom County. Trivia Bee Trivia Bee Trivia Bee Trivia Bee Join us for our 30th Annual Trivia Bee fundraiser! THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2026 AT ASLAN DEPOT REGISTER YOUR TEAM OF THREE TODAY CLICK HERE We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization Tax ID: 91-1220307 We empower adults in Whatcom County to achieve their goals and improve their lives with free literacy programs. FREE LITERACY PROGRAMS IN WHATCOM COUNTY LEARN Need help with reading or writing? Need help learning English? Come learn FOR FREE at Whatcom Literacy Council! Learn With Us TUTOR Change a life forever as a volunteer tutor or class facilitator. We welcome tutors of all ages and backgrounds! Become a Tutor ASSIST Not ready to take the lead in teaching just yet? Become a volunteer classroom assistant for local college instructors teaching basic English. Assist Instructors We Change People's Lives Roughly two thirds of the people we serve are immigrants who are learning English for the first time. More than half of our learners have no high school diploma or GED, and the majority have no computer at home. Our free, customized, individual tutoring and small group classes make a difference in their lives by... Improving their basic reading, writing, math, computer, and parenting skills. Helping them prepare for a GED test and/or f urther their education. Helping them attain US citizenship. Increasing their employment opportunities. Enabling self-sufficiency. Enhancing the stability of their daily lives. One of the best ways to break the cycle of poverty is to invest in adult education. Success Stories We Promote Equity through Literacy Literacy is one of the most basic of needs. Limited literacy skills are a major contributor to poverty, and a barrier for those marginalized by race and economic status. One of the best ways to break the cycle of poverty is to invest in literacy and adult education. Literate adults are more stable and equipped to help themselves and their families, making our community healthier for everyone. Without literacy, there is no social justice. Literacy gives people a voice to advocate for themselves and their communities about issues that matter, enables them to vote, empowers them to rise above discrimination, and helps their children succeed in school. The Whatcom Literacy Council strives to be a model nonprofit champion of racial equity and social justice. About Us Our Programs IN GRATITUDE TO OUR SPONSORS To play, press and hold the enter key. To stop, release the enter key. FOLLOW OUR SOCIAL FEEDS

Whatcom Literacy Council is governed by a group of dedicated Board Members who keep our organization focused on its mission teaching free English Language Learner programs and more to adults in Whatcom County. About Us The Whatcom Literacy Council is governed by a group of dedicated volunteers who keep the organization focused on its mission, and are responsible for fiduciary oversight. Board Members INTERESTED IN JOINING OUR BOARD? Learn More CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS President Michael Cox Deputy Director, Whatcom County Library System Vice President Stu Andrade Kinship Navigator and FST Case Manager, Brigid Collins Treasurer Kaitlyn Gilmore Staff Accountant and CPA, Baker Tilley CPAs Secretary Paqui Paredes Méndez Professor of Spanish, Modern and Classical Languages Department, Western Washington University Andres Parra Community Health Worker, Catholic Community Services (former client, originally from Colombia) Dr. Bill Gerritz International School S uperintendent and Graduate School Faculty, retired Bangkok/The Netherlands/Venezuela Brent Carbajal, PHD Professor Emeritus of Spanish, Western Washington University Catalina Hope Faculty, Whatcom Community College Brian Aguilar Ferndale Branch Manager, US Bank Gloria Garcia Family and Juvenile Court Improvement Program, Whatcom County Superior Court Become a Board Member Do you have a passion for helping your community? We welcome new Board Members who are willing to dedicate their knowledge, experience, and perspective to help us remain focused on our mission and financially responsible. Board Members typically commit to a minimum of three to eight hours of service per month, and are required to serve a minimum three year term. Board members meet monthly, on the third Monday of each month, from 5:30 pm until 7:00 pm, except during July. If you are interested in joining this important group of individuals, please click on the two buttons below to learn more, complete an application, and email it to director@whatcomliteracy.org . We will respond with more information and an overview of upcoming openings. Roles & Responsibilities Board Application

Donate to Whatcom Literacy Council to help us empower adults to achieve their goals and improve their lives through our free language, literacy, citizenship, GED, and computer classes and programs in Whatcom County. Donate to Literacy We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization Tax ID: 91-1220307 Planned Giving Help our community grow and thrive by supporting increased literacy. Give Now Also see... Give Now Drop off Cash Stop in during office hours... cash donations give you the highest tax deduction from your gross income. Mail a Check Make checks payable to Whatcom Literacy Council. If you’re donating in honor of someone, please write this information on the memo line of your check. Tax receipts will be mailed within 4 to 6 weeks after the donation has been processed. Mail to: Whatcom Literacy Council P.O. Box 1292 Bellingham, WA 98227 Donate Online Use your credit or debit card... and consider checking the "monthly" box to make it a regular recurring donation that will provide us with a sustainable revenue stream. By MightyCause By Paypal By Venmo $30 donation provides needed learning resources for learners and tutors. $50 donation supports a learner/tutor pair for 1 month. $300 donation supports a learner/tutor pair for 6 months. $600 donation supports a learner/tutor pair for 1 year. Shop Online at Village Books and Paper Dreams When you want to shop online at Village Books and Paper Dreams, click the button below first. Then, whenever you make a purchase on their website, they'll donate a portion of your sale to us. This is a great way to support a local merchant and literacy for all! Shop and Donate Also see... Planned Giving

Whatcom Literacy Council relies on people who can provide strong academic skills and a desire to help foster literacy in Whatcom County. Jobs The Whatcom Literacy Council relies on people who can provide strong academic skills and a desire to help foster literacy in our community. Work For Us EDUCATORS. TUTORS. MENTORS. We are not currently hiring for any staff positions. We are always interested talking to potential new volunteers for One-to-One Tutoring, Small Group Class Facilitation, and Classroom Assistants. Learn more here >

Whatcom Literacy Council offers free English Language Learner programs to help adults learn English, improve literacy, practice English conversation, prepare for a GED, prepare for citizenship, and learn basic computer skills in Whatcom County. Programs & Classes The Whatcom Literacy Council offers a variety of free programs and classes to those living in Whatcom County. OUR FREE PROGRAMS PROMOTE SELF-SUFFICIENT ADULTS ADULT LITERACY PROGRAM Free tutoring for English-speaking adults to improve reading and writing skills, prepare for a GED test, or learn basic computer skills. Improve Literacy ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNER Free tutoring for adults who speak another language and want to learn or improve their English language skills. Learn English SMALL GROUP CLASSES Free small classes for adults to practice English, learn computers, prepare for citizenship or the GED. Take a Class

Register to attend our event at Whatcom Literacy Council in support of English Language Learner programs in Whatcom County. Registration Name of Event goes here; change out the photo as needed. Saturday March 14 Starting at 6:00 pm TAG LINE ABOUT EVENT GOES HERE Upcoming Event Title Click on "Edit Text" to edit this content with relevant event details or information that you want to share with people. On this page, you can go into more detail about the event, list speakers, show sponsors (set up as a gallery or simply add a collage of their logos), list auction items, etc. To swap out the photo at left, click the image until you see the white button "change column background" (not change strip background) and then choose the "image" option. Register Today! Paste your jotform code into the grey box below to make your registration form appear. Adjust the box size as needed.

Whatcom Literacy Council staff work part-time. Please make an appointment if you need to speak to someone in person. Contact Us By Phone: (360) 752-8678 By Email: info@whatcomliteracy.org Our staff work part-time. Please schedule an appointment if you want to meet someone in person. Physical Office On Bellingham Technical College campus 3028 Lindbergh Avenue Building A Bellingham, WA 98225 Mailing Address PO Box 1292 Bellingham, WA 98227 For instructions on how to use TTY Services, please go to the Washington Relay website. For TTY Telephone access, please dial 7-1-1. Public Transportation Whatcom Transportation Authority (WTA) Bus #3 (to Maplewood/Cordata) and Bus #4 (Maplewood to Downtown) serves the BTC campus. The main bus stop for the BTC campus is located on Lindbergh Avenue, in front of the Haskell Center (HC) building.

Whatcom Literacy Council offers free Adult Literacy tutoring services for English-speaking adults looking for help with basic reading and writing, GED test preparation, and basic computer skills. Programs & Classes Improve Basic Literacy Skills Free tutoring for English-speaking adults who want to improve their skills. FREE ADULT LITERACY PROGRAM (ALP) IN WHATCOM COUNTY Our Adult Literacy Program offers free tutoring services for English-speaking adults looking for help with basic reading and writing skills, GED test preparation, and/or basic computer skills. How it Works Learners are carefully assigned to a volunteer tutor. that best matches their needs. The tutor will help the learner identify their goals. Learners will meet with this tutor two times per week to work on these goals together. Each tutoring session is coordinated at a time that fits the learner's schedule. Each tutoring session is held in a public location within the learner's community. All tutoring is customized and confidential. Contact Ashley Meyer Adult Literacy Program (ALP) Coordinator she/her/hers alp@whatcomliteracy.org (360) 752-8681 Languages Spoken: English What You Can Achieve Learn or improve basic reading and writing skills. Prepare for a GED (General Educational Development) test. Learn or improve basic computer skills. Increase employment opportunities. Gain the skills necessary to continue your education. Enjoy reading for daily life. Improve your parenting skills.

From our annual Literacy Breakfast and other fundraisers, to regular classes throughout the year, stay up to date with Whatcom Literacy Council through our monthly newsletters and other programs. News & Events Stay up to date with Whatcom Literacy Council fundraisers, news, and events. Sign Up for Our Newsletter 2025 Literacy Breakfast FREE CLASSES FOR ADULT LEARNERS Click Here for Current Class Schedule Nancy Pearl's Book List These are the recommendations from Nancy Pearl to add to your reading list for 2026! Beautyland by Marie-Helene Bertino The Crazies by Amy Gamerman Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter by Tom Franklin Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green Flashlight by Susan Choi The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo Giant Love by Julie Gilbert The Listeners by Maggie Stiefvater Lula Dean's Little Library of Banner Books by Kirsten Miller Mona's Eyes by Thomas Schlesser Old Filth Trilogy by Jane Gardam Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld Sacrament by Susan Straight In The Country of Women by Susan Straight The Strangers by Ekow Eshun Tilt by Emma Pattee A Walk in the Park by Kevin Fedarko The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden The Wilderness by Angela Flournoy If these titles interest you, consider buying them from our favorite local bookstore, Village Books , or check out a copy from your local library! NEWSLETTERS View Our Most Recent Newsletter

Whatcom Literacy Council offers free English Language Learner programs to help adults learn to speak, read, write, and understand English in Whatcom County. Programs & Classes Learn English Free tutoring for adults who speak other languages. FREE ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNER (ELL) PROGRAM Our English Language Learner Program offers free tutoring services for adults who speak another language and want to learn or improve their English language skills. How it Works English tutoring is free for adults who live in Whatcom County. Learners are carefully assigned to a volunteer tutor. that best matches their needs. The coordinator and tutor will help the learner identify their goals. Learners will meet with this tutor two times per week to work on these goals together. Each tutoring session is coordinated at a time that fits the learner's schedule. Each tutoring session is held in a public location within the learner's community. All tutoring is customized and confidential. Contact Brandi Adams English Language Learner (ELL) Coordinator she/her/hers ell@whatcomliteracy.org (360) 685-6756 Languages Spoken English What You Can Achieve Learn or improve English speaking, reading, writing, and listening skills. Prepare for U.S. citizenship. Get a U.S. driver's license. Prepare for a GED (General Educational Development) test. Learn or improve basic computer skills. Increase employment opportunities. Gain the skills necessary to continue your education.

Whatcom Literacy Council has a long history of success teaching English Language Learners, improve their literacy, practice English conversation, prepare for a GED, prepare for citizenship, and learn basic computer skills in Whatcom County. Success Stories With help from the Whatcom Literacy Council, our students are improving their skills, careers, families, and quality of life. Changing Lives OPENING DOORS. CHANGING LIVES. "Helping your learner achieve something as valuable as literacy, while at the same time watching them build their self-confidence, is quite gratifying." — Volunteer Tutor “I have learned how to use verbs, tenses, adjectives, and nouns. Before I have problems for speaking, I’m always shy. But I didn’t speak English, but now I’m doing well. At work, everyone says, “Veerpal, now you’re doing good.” My teacher, she is teaching is good.” — Veerpal, Learner “The experience of working with a variety of different adults with different skill levels and backgrounds has been eye-opening for me. It is an experience that I really value and I look forward to seeing Veerpal flourish, and to working with other adults who want to learn, or improve, their English skills.” – Kate, Tutor “Everyone deserves the knowledge, confidence and opportunities that come with literacy.”

Planned giving programs will help Whatcom Literacy Council remain sustainable into the future so we can continue to help English Language Learner adults achieve their goals and improve their lives in Whatcom County. Donate to Literacy We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization Tax ID: 91-1220307 Give Now Help Whatcom Literacy Council remain sustainable into the future. Planned Giving Also see options to... Planned Giving Employer Matching Gifts Starbucks, Boeing, Microsoft, Alaska Airlines... these and many other companies will match your donation resulting in doubled and sometimes tripled contributions. All it takes is for you to request the match... usually by filling out a form from your employer. Individual Retirement Accounts or 401(k) Name Whatcom Literacy Council as a beneficiary of your retirement account or direct the Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) us. Charitable IRA Rollover If you are age 70-1/2 or older and taking minimum distributions, you can donate from your IRA without a tax penalty. Life Insurance This option allows you to make a significant gift to charity, with tax benefits that you can enjoy during your lifetime. Appreciated Stock Your gift of stock gets reinvested in Whatcom County, and qualifies you for an immediate tax deduction based on the full market value. Estate Gifts Include a charitable bequest in your will for a lasting gift to our community. Charitable Remainder Trust This option allows you to receive income for the rest of your life, knowing that the remainder will benefit Whatcom Literacy Council and our community. Private/Family Foundation Managing family foundations can present many challenges. Converting to a donor advised fund can provide administrative ease while continuing to carry out the family foundation’s impact. Real Estate The value of your real estate may exceed any other asset you own. Using property gains can fulfill your charitable interests while providing financial and tax benefits. Closely Held Corporations Donors can give shares of closely held corporations, and once sold, the proceeds can support Whatcom Literacy Council. Tangible Personal Property Real property such as artwork with a certified appraisal can fund your charitable goals. Also see options to... Give Now