Aspire News: May 2021

Defining Aspire Last year we hired Mission Minded, a national nonprofit branding firm, to work with us as we merged LIFT and the Aberg Center for Literacy. Our new organization had an opportunity to not only capitalize on the prior successes of the two predecessors, but to also redefine the value of what we do...Read More

YOUR GIFT TO THE ANNUAL FUND IS AN INVESTMENT IN OUR STUDENTS, THEIR FAMILIES, AND A BETTER FUTURE FOR OUR COMMUNITY. At the close of the spring semester, the excitement of returning to in-person classes for the fall has our staff feverously working to ensure a seamless transition. The past year was a challenge, but our staff, volunteers, and students embraced the “new normal” and worked hard to fulfill the promise of our mission. This year of lockdowns has also created a greater need for Aspire's services to families in need. As a result, our responsibility to build a solid financial foundation is now as crucial as ever. It’s easy to take reading and writing for granted. Whether reading a street sign, understanding a label on a medicine bottle, or writing down directions for a friend, few of us consider what it takes to read and write with ease. But for the 1 in 4 adults in Dallas experiencing low-literacy, ordinary tasks like these are exhausting. PLEASE CONSIDER MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF OUR STUDENTS BY JOINING WITH OTHERS TO MAKE A GIFT IN SUPPORT OF OUR MISSION. As our number grows every year, it’s vital that we improve adult learning and honor the value literacy brings to our communities. The more confidence our neighbors have in navigating the world around them, the stronger and healthier our whole community will be. YES! I want to support Aspire and turn obstacles into opportunities! - Paul DiBiase Chief Development Officer

We are grateful to—and sad—as we say goodbye to Chief Program Officer Shana Harrison. Her leadership during eight years at the Aberg Center for Literacy led to expanded programs that fit the needs of the community. "When Dan and I married in 2018, I moved to Tarrant County. It has been a struggle for me to put down roots with my energy still focused on improving lives in Dallas. As we move toward post-pandemic and return to in-person classes, the thought of commuting is beyond me. As I leave Aspire to pursue opportunities closer to my home, I take with me many cherished memories and much gratitude and pride in our shared accomplishments," said Shana. Thank you, Shana, for your dedication to Aspire's students and their families. We wish you much success.

	Student Spotlight Isaiah is a certified graduate of Aspire's four-day forklift certification and financial literacy training program. Growing up, Isaiah, his two older brothers, and mother moved in and out of shelters. While living with his father in a mobile home, Isaiah was unable to complete his high school education...Read More
	Volunteer Spotlight This month we shine the spotlight on a volunteer who prior to joining Aspire had never contemplated teaching but is now considering becoming a full-time educator. “My mother was an elementary school teacher and that was not something I had ever considered from a career standpoint,” said Karen Minato...Read More

Dr. Linda K. Johnson Aspire President and CEO “A lifetime of learning helps us give the best of ourselves to our communities.”

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