Coming Soon! Washington Literacy Council Kicks Off New Year with Rebranding Initiative
Although Washington, D.C. is known for being one of the most college-educated cities in the nation, it’s also a city that has one of the lowest literacy levels—36 percent of the D.C. adult population are functionally illiterate.
The Washington Literacy Center (WLC) is working to change this.
Founded in 1963, WLC is one of the longest-running adult literacy programs in D.C., serving people who have limited reading skills, few job resources, and the greatest employment needs in the District.
To provide its services—which include small class study as well as one-on-one tutoring—WLC relies heavily on individual donations. Reaching out to the local community through its events and website are critical for building financial support and volunteer involvement.
“As a very small nonprofit, we often have one opportunity to connect with potential students, volunteers and donors. If our message is not clear or our image is confused, we can lose critical opportunities,” said Terry Algire, Executive Director at WLC.
OmniStudio has chosen WLC as its 2012 REACHOut partner, and will provide a thorough rebranding for the organization, including a new logo, website and collateral materials.
WLC’s new identity will be rolled out at their annual Love Letters for Literacy event, on February 15th, at the National Museum of Women in the Arts. Right now, you can support WLC by visiting their current site where you can learn more about their students and purchasing Love Letters tickets.
“This redesign/rebranding will clarify our message and image, making it easier for the community to connect with and support the WLC,” Algire said. “We believe it will increase our donor base, allowing us to serve more community members through our program and…raise the literacy level of adults in Washington, D.C. so that they can function on the job, in the family and in society.”
WLC’s rebranding coincides with a move to the Thurgood Marshall center in March, and a new programming direction. Program updates include small-group education, private tutoring to support classroom education, a case manager to assist participants in accessing the social services available to them, transition support to help adults take the next step in their long-term education or professional goals, and alumni mentoring groups.
When OmniStudio launched its REACHOut Project in 2008, its goal was to help charities and nonprofits revitalize their visual branding to better attract donations, volunteer participation and media attention.
“The REACHOut project is Omni’s way of supporting our community with the kind of specialized communications expertise and services that are normally out of reach for many small organizations,” said Eileen Kessler, Omni’s president. “For WLC, this project offers the organization a cohesive identity that will help them reach people in ways they were unable to before.”
As a former WLC literacy instructor, Kessler knows how important it is to keep WLC’s programs strong. “Can you imagine not being able to read? The work they do is literally life changing,” she said.
For more information about Love Letters for Literacy or to purchase a ticket for the event starting Feb. 1, click here.
Need More Information?
If you have any questions about what OmniStudio can do for you, write to Eileen Kessler at ekessler@omnistudio.com. Thank you for your suggestions, comments and continued interest!
