Front Porch Magazine
July 2014 (pg. 7)
It is easy to turn a blind eye to the problems in our area. On the surface, ours is a burgeoning community, abundant in the arts, often affluent, and teeming with informed citizens at ease in discussing the latest local and national debates. What some may not know is that according to data collected by Rappahannock Goodwill Industries, there are roughly 36,300 adults in our area who face a barrier to meaningful participation in our community’s shared goals, a barrier to education, and a barrier to employment that would allow them to earn a living wage and attain the comfort that so many of us take for granted. That barrier is illiteracy.