HISTORY & MILESTONES

The Literacy Cooperative began in 2006 as a collaborative response to a literacy crisis in Cuyahoga County. Following the release of the National Assessment of Adult Literacy in 2004—showing that 69% of Cleveland adults and 47% of Cuyahoga County adults had literacy levels below the eighth grade—three local foundations (Cleveland, George Gund, and Martha Holden Jennings) brought together over 300 individuals from 250 organizations. The group’s consensus led to the formation of an action plan and the creation of a collaborative organization: The Literacy Cooperative. TLC began operations under Suite 1300 Services and became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in May 2009.