Marion County Literacy Council, Inc.

The Marion County Literacy Council is a non-profit organization focused on making sure all adult citizens in Marion County have access to the resources available to help them improve their lives by improving their literacy skills.

The organization was founded by philanthropist Barbara Woodson in 1999. Barbara, seeing a gap in programs not available for adults who needed basic help with math and reading, created the organization as a way to improve lives and give those falling between those gap the resources they needed to meet their goals. The Council was founded to teach adults to read, help students pass the GED test and to teach English to speakers of other languages.

Since its inception, reading and GED preparation have been the main focus of our program. MCLC is responding to our diverse population growth by expanding our ESOL (English Speakers of Other Languages) program as well as adding basic computer, citizenship, financial literacy and health literacy classes. The Literacy Council provides volunteers to tutor in the Marion County jail and to train inmates at Lowell Correctional Institute for women as well.

Our Staff:
Summer Gill, Executive Director
Yamila Acosta, Program Coordinator

Our Board:
•Joe Reichel, Ocala/Marion County Chamber & Economic Partnership– President
•Adam Woods, CBC National Bank – Vice President
•Patrick Mangan, George Mangan Insurance – Treasurer
•Chris Kent, Rasmussen College – Secretary
•Beth Aten, Marion County Public Schools
•Tim Conway, PhD, The Morris Center, Inc
•Jon I. McGraw, Schatt Hesser McGraw, P.A.
•Jim Ross, Ocala Star-Bannerjoe speaking in color
•Madeline Rousseau, Asset Capital Realty
•Evangelia Sarris, Asset Capital Realty
•Hellena Smejda, Equestrian Springs
•Bradford Tropello, Law Office of Blanchard, Merriam, Adel& Kirkland, PA
•Lisa Varner, Jenkins Auto Group