Through Indiana Sports Corp’s Team Up for Literacy program, organizations like Indy Reads receive critical funding to transform lives: one student, one family, one story at a time. Team Up for Literacy mobilizes our community to support literacy programs across Indiana, investing in what works: getting books into hands, supporting teachers, and engaging families. Your donations directly fund programs like those at Indy Reads, where adults gain the literacy skills they need to uplift their families and reach their full potential.

The stories emerging from Indy Reads’ classrooms illustrate why this work matters.

The Ballet Dancer and the Biochemist: A Family’s Journey

When Camilo S. arrived in Indianapolis in March 2023 to dance with the Indianapolis Ballet, he carried years of rigorous training that began at age 10 in Cuba. Two months later, his mother Lacha B. joined him. A biochemist who worked in medical and agricultural sectors in Cuba, Lacha came to Indianapolis with professional expertise but faced a significant barrier: English.

That summer, mother and son found Indy Reads. They started with weekly ELL Conversation Circles, then enrolled in a mixed-level classroom by August. For both, literacy represented different but equally important goals. Camilo needed his high school diploma to support his ballet career and prepare for life beyond dance. For Lacha, English meant something more personal. “My dream is to speak English, and to have a happy family. I want to learn English because I like to talk a lot. I am that person. I have a lot of feelings, ideas.”

When Lacha started her classes at Indy Reads, she was working as a restaurant busser. Her English skills were limited, which confined her professional opportunities. But Indy Reads offered more than classroom instruction; they provided comprehensive support.

In 2024, Indy Reads helped Lacha apply for a position as Greenhouse Manager with Flanner House. Despite her nerves about her English, Ruba Marshood, Indy Reads’ CEO, and Daisy Velez-Collazo, the Intake/ELL Coordinator, worked with her to practice for the interview. She got the job.

The growth in Lacha’s confidence became visible in April 2025 when she co-hosted Indy Reads’ annual fundraising Breakfast in front of 400 people. Using the English literacy skills she’d gained through continued practice, she wrote and delivered her own remarks and speaker introductions, including introducing United States Congressman André Carson.

“I still practice English on Sundays in the bookstore, and I am in Greta’s class” Lacha shared during the Breakfast. “Indy Reads is like our family here.”

Beyond One Family: The Ripple Effect of Adult Literacy

Lacha and Camilo’s story represents just one of the nearly 500 adult students and their families served by Indy Reads each year. The organization’s impact extends across generations because the single greatest indicator of a child’s literacy level is the literacy level of their parent. When adults gain literacy confidence, entire families benefit.

Consider Jeffrey Y., who enrolled at age 60 to earn his HSE diploma after 41 years coaching boxing. Having completed only 6th grade due to time spent in juvenile facilities and penitentiaries, Jeffrey decided education could amplify his impact on the youth he mentored. “Now the kids see me fighting AND going to school” he says. “When you lead by example, they will follow.” He’s already passed the social studies section of his exam and is modeling for the hundred kids in his youth boxing program that education creates opportunity.

The Challenge and the Opportunity

One in six adults in central Indiana reads below the 5th grade level. This represents thousands facing barriers to employment, healthcare access, and family support. As the only organization in Indiana formally serving the most beginning level adult learner and beyond, Indy Reads addresses these challenges through a comprehensive approach combining classroom instruction, conversation practice, job readiness support, and community engagement. The result: literacy confidence grows in the classroom, and literacy leadership grows beyond it, building skills intergenerationally.

Your Role in This Story

Team Up for Literacy makes stories like these possible. Your support provides the resources that organizations like Indy Reads need to offer tuition-free literacy programs, invest in skilled instructors, and provide the individualized support that helps adult learners overcome barriers and achieve their goals.

Learn more about Team Up for Literacy and support programs like Indy Reads at indianasportscorp.org/community. Your gift today will help ignite a love of reading and transform lives across Indiana.

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To learn more about Indy Reads’ tuition-free programs for adults and families, visit www.indyreads.org.