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Dear friends of literacy, Thank you for joining us last night at the 18th Annual Scrabble Tournament for Literacy! It was so wonderful to be together to enjoy an evening of fun games, delicious food, and great company. And congratulations to all our winners, including repeat grand champions, The Letter People! We'll post all the results and photos on our website soon and will continue to share pictures on our Facebook page . 2026 Scrabble Tournament Award Winners Most Creati

Since 2016, Literacy NRV (LNRV) and the Blacksburg Refugee Partnership (BRP) have worked hand in hand to support refugees and displaced individuals as they build new lives in our community. Blacksburg Refugee Partnership is a volunteer-led organization grounded in the simple but powerful belief that every person deserves a safe, peaceful, and happy home. BRP connects families to essential resources and provides the ongoing support needed to help them plant roots and thrive i

Spring 2026 English language study started at the beginning of February. The storms delayed a few start dates, but everything came together. The last few years, we’ve focused on offering multi-level classes in different locations throughout the New River Valley. That focus was informed by the large number of students compared to available volunteers. This Spring term, we adjusted our efforts to provide student-focused, small group classes. We’ve also prioritized matching stud

Do you believe every adult deserves the literacy skills they need to thrive? Literacy NRV is seeking an organized, relationship-driven, and mission-minded Volunteer Coordinator to support and grow our vibrant community of 150+ volunteer tutors and instructors. This part-time position (20 hours per week) plays a vital role in ensuring adults across the New River Valley receive high-quality basic literacy, ESOL, and workforce readiness support. If you love connecting people to

Vicki Brackett grew up in a family where giving back and volunteering were simply part of life—not an option, “it’s just what you did,” she said. So, when the opportunity arose to follow her passion for literacy, it was a natural fit for her to begin volunteering with Literacy NRV in 2019. A licensed speech-language pathologist and private reading tutor focused on youth with dyslexia, Vicki, of Blacksburg, has generously shared her expertise, skills, and enthusiasm with Lite

We are so thrilled to spotlight this amazing achievement by our beloved Family Literacy Coordinator, Anne Abbott! She was nominated for the 2025 Toyota Family Teacher of the Year award and was named their runner-up. We are so thrilled that she is a member of our team and that her extraordinary contributions to family learning have been recognized on this national level. Since 2008, Anne has impacted 200+ adults and 300+ children through Family READS, a program for English lan

Lenny, 81 years old, came to us for reading help after his wife went to live in a nursing home. Now that his wife is not around anymore to read for him, he realizes he needs to learn to read better to live independently. Lenny is now working one-on-one with an LNRV volunteer tutor to learn new literacy skills to achieve goals such as being able write a note on a card, read his mail, pay his bills/write checks, fill out forms, and write down a phone message. Lenny has had a l

Literacy NRV's new Executive Director, Lauren Brooke Ellis Literacy NRV is pleased to announce the appointment of Lauren Brooke Ellis as its new Executive Director. Ellis officially began her role on Monday, January 12, succeeding Ginny Ayers, who has served as Executive Director and will be stepping down after four years of dedicated leadership and service to the organization. Ellis brings a strong background in nonprofit administration, education, fundraising, and community

Brittany Hash is pictured here in a collage of moments from her time at Literacy NRV, from volunteer trainings and community events to everyday life in the office. These snapshots reflect the relationships, joy, and care she brought to her work and to everyone around her. At the end of December, Literacy NRV will say goodbye, for now, to someone who has become an integral part of our organization and our community: our Volunteer Coordinator, Brittany Williams Hash. Brittany j

Literacy NRV Executive Director Ginny Ayers (third from right) and other Spotlight award winners On Thursday, December 4, Literacy NRV was honored at the Truliant Foundation’s Founders' Dinner in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Held at the Truliant Operations Center, the event brought together nonprofit partners, community leaders, and supporters to celebrate collaboration and community impact. This year, the Truliant Foundation recognized four organizations across its footpri

Sofia, a Literacy NRV English language learner, was extremely nervous when she took the microphone during Literacy NRV’s recent Student-Volunteer Recognition Event to address more than 100 people. But she chose to face her fear in order to thank the volunteers who have made her English language learning possible. “Thank you for having us in this place,” Sofia said to the crowd. “We are very grateful for the volunteers. They are doing a good job of teaching us English. We le

At Literacy NRV, we believe that when a community comes together, extraordinary change becomes possible. This fall, we were honored to receive a second generous gift from 100+ Women Who Care NRV , a philanthropic giving circle of local women committed to strengthening the New River Valley through collective giving. Their $10,000+ donation in October 2025—following their first gift to Literacy NRV in 2023—comes at a truly pivotal moment for our organization and the adult learn

When Sarah Orrick signed up to help another adult learn to read as a volunteer tutor for Literacy NRV in 2017, she never imagined how much she herself would gain from the experience. “When you are a tutor, you are getting benefits that you don’t necessarily anticipate,” said Sarah, who has tutored two English language learners over the past 8 years. “I have gained new friends, gotten to know my students’ families, and have enjoyed being exposed to different cultures. It’s bee

Literacy NRV’s fall English classes wrapped up just before Thanksgiving. We’ve offered less classes this term than previous terms, but the impact has been meaningful. In particular, our partnership with the YMCA at Virginia Tech helped us reach dozens of English language learners. Most people know the YMCA through its thrift store on North Main Street. That building has also hosted Literacy NRV’s English classes for the past few years. The building was remodeled recently wit

If you want to see what true dedication looks like, look no further than Angie Perry of Shawsville. Angie recently passed her GED -- after starting and stopping GED programs on and off for the last 30 years, after attending classes consistently for the last 3 years, and after taking the math test TEN times. “I’ve attempted this several times in my life, and usually I feel like I don’t finish things,” said Angie. “But I told myself this last time, I’m not going to be a quitter

Do you believe every adult deserves the literacy skills they need to thrive? Join Literacy NRV — a dynamic nonprofit helping hundreds of adults across the New River Valley achieve independence through literacy. We’re seeking an innovative, collaborative, and mission-driven leader to guide our organization into its next chapter of impact and growth. The Executive Director (ED) will oversee the operational, financial, and programmatic success of Literacy NRV, working closely wi

Executive Director Ginny Ayers (left) and Volunteer Coordinator Brittany Hash (right) As we look ahead to 2026, Literacy NRV is preparing for a season of transition - one that comes with both heartfelt goodbyes and exciting new beginnings. Brittany Hash will be stepping away from her role as Volunteer Coordinator after the birth of her second daughter this winter. Brittany has been a vital part of our team, connecting learners and tutors with warmth, skill, and genuine care

Literacy NRV is delighted to welcome Kristine Saunders, Youth Librarian for the Pulaski County Library System, to our Board of Directors. Kristine was unanimously voted in as a new member during our September board meeting following the recommendation of Sally Warburton, longtime board member and director of Pulaski County Library. We are deeply grateful to Sally for her many years of dedicated service and advocacy for literacy in our community, and we are thrilled to continu

English for Life students and volunteers discuss health-related topics in a Tuesday morning class Our "English for Life" English language classes began mid-September and we’ve had wonderful turnout! Literacy NRV is currently offering five free English classes in Montgomery County. We also have one-on-one tutoring pairs meeting throughout the New River Valley. Our classes are a welcoming, safe place for students to study English, meet new people, and participate in the communi