Are you looking for ways to engage in our Brown County community?
Please consider making a difference by volunteering with us. There are many options for contributing, so please take a look at the variety of experiences below that meet your needs and ours.
All opportunities listed include an estimated time commitment.
Board of Directors
The Brown County Literacy Coalition Board of Directors acts in both governing and volunteer capacities. They serve as the formal voting body that exercises guidance and administration as defined in the by-laws.
- Board Members’ estimated time commitment is 2-4 hours a month. There may be further time requirements depending upon time of year and area of participation. Board members attend and participate in board meetings on the third Tuesday of each month from 6:00 p.m.-7:30 p.m. at the literacy office downstairs at the Brown County Public Library.
Friends of Literacy
Our Friends of Literacy help us with fundraising-event support, building floats for parades, handing out books to kids along parade routes, providing equipment and heavy lifting when needed, assisting with book sorting and helping at book sales, liaising with community businesses, and more.
- Friends’ estimated time commitment varies from approximately 1 hour per month to whatever time is required to adequately accomplish tasks.
Advisors of Literacy
Advisors are individuals in the community who help us fulfill our mission via best practices in the areas of financial advising, marketing, fundraising, and grant writing, education, among other areas.
- Advisors’ estimated time commitment is 1-3 hours per month, depending on need surrounding event planning, fundraising, and finances.
Partners of Literacy
Partners help us by providing volunteers and support for funding, fundraising, marketing, visibility within the community, and more. Partners may include businesses, companies, and organizations.
- Partners’ estimated time commitment varies as to level of support.
TEAM DESCRIPTIONS
Tutoring Team
The Brown County Literacy Coalition collaborates with the Brown County School Corporation to help Brown County children reach their reading benchmarks.
Our tutors are greatly valued as they work directly with students in grades K-3 after school to support them in reading achievement and improvement. Tutors work with their tutees in public places such as schools or the library in a safe, open setting where other responsible adults are visible and available.
We request at least a one-semester commitment, and attendance at bi-monthly Saturday afternoon meetings to share experiences and strategies.
Background checks are required of every new tutor and are administered and paid for by BCLC.
- Tutors’ estimated time commitment is 1-2 hours per week, which includes training and travel time to and from their tutee’s school. Tutors are also encouraged to attend occasional Saturday afternoon meetings, where they can share their tutoring experiences with other tutors and gain valuable support.
Reading Superheroes
As a Reading Superhero, you will share your love of reading during the school day with a child at Sprunica Elementary School, 3611 Sprunica Rd., Nineveh, IN. The school chooses the children who can benefit from a “mentor” figure – an adult they can read to.
These are children who could benefit from the opportunity to interact with and read to an adult. This extra support is valuable to kids who just need a little extra support.
- You choose your day, one day per week, Monday, Wednesday or Friday. Choose one hour starting at 10 past the hour: 8:10 am through 11:10 am; or 12:10 p.m. through 2:10 p.m. You will meet with two children, one at a time, about 25 minutes each.
Book Distribution Team
Our book distribution team manages the Brown County Little Free Library program, sorts books, organizes book storage, distributes books throughout the community to book baskets at doctors offices, plans and implements book sales, and supports the Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library program.
- Time commitment for the book distribution team ranges from 2 hours a month to more, depending on events, needs, and time of year.
Marketing Team
The marketing team develops and coordinates our messaging across various platforms, including print and broadcast media, social media, website, printed marketing materials, and events. They ensure that all communications are consistent with the directives of the coalition leadership and the Board of Directors. Skill sets sought include proofreading, research, design, marketing best-practices, and more.
- The events team requests 4+ hours of support during planning and implementation of events.
Fundraising Team
The fundraising team works to attract funding that supports our programs and professional infrastructure via grants and individual donations. They often work together with our Events Team.
They utilize best-practices to develop and coordinate a year-long campaign that attracts new donors, regularly celebrates all donors, and engages the community via creative fundraising ideas.
Skill sets sought include grant-writing and grant research, social and professional connections within the Brown County community, a willingness to represent the literacy coalition at events where potential donors may be cultivated, and more.
They also spend time planning and helping to implement fundraising events throughout the year, including and the Annual Appeal at the end of the year.
- The fundraising team meets semi-regularly for approximately 2 hours.
Events Team
The events team works to raise countywide awareness of the literacy coalition through participation in parades, festivals, and more.
Events include the Holiday Light Parade and Toy Drive; the Spring Blossom Parade; the Nashcar Outhouse Race; the Brown County Public Library Fall Fest; Brown County Reads; Dolly Parton's Imagination Library Charity Golf Outing, and more.
Enthusiasm, sense of humor, creativity, and willingness to work hard as part of a team are the primary needs for this area of focus.
Tasks include painting, building, handing out books to little kids, planning, coordinating with businesses and individuals in the community, and more.
- The events team meets semi-regularly for approximately 2 hours. More time is requested during the implementation of events.
