Literacy Minnesota

09/23/2026

Last week, our neighbors from the Saint Paul Public Library at Arlington Hills Community Center visited our Open Door Saint Paul learning center. Our students signed up for library cards and learned more about the resources available at the library. We love any opportunity to connect our students with the tools and resources they can find within their community.

09/18/2026

Adult education doesn't always look like school.

As Adult Education and Family Literacy Week wraps up, here are five things we'd want you to know about this work.

It happens in church basements, computer labs, and classrooms where a dozen first languages are in the room at the same time.

It's how 1.5 million adults a year find their way into job training and employment.

It gives employers people who can read closely, work with numbers, and use a computer without someone standing over their shoulder. Our Northstar Digital Literacy program delivered more than 1.58 million assessments last year, across all 50 states and 164 countries.

It closes the skills gap one household at a time, and it's one of the least expensive ways to do that.

It never stops with the adult in the room. A parent practicing at the kitchen table usually means a kid doing homework at the same table.

Thank you to the teachers, volunteers, and learners across Minnesota who do this every day, and to the partners and advocates who make the case for this work year-round.

09/16/2026

Adult Education and Family Literacy opens doors, and it builds resilient communities and stronger workforces along the way. We consider ourselves incredibly lucky to be a part of each of our students' journeys as they build the skills, understanding, and confidence to reach their goals.

It's Adult Education and Family Literacy Week, and we're grateful for partners like Literacy Action Network who advocate statewide for adult education every day. Follow them to learn how you can help do the same.

Supporting and promoting adult education and family literacy is an investment in our state’s future. It’s a call to action for all community partners—business leaders, policymakers, educators, and citizens—to come together and champion a cause that yields dividends in prosperity, innovation, and social equity.

Let’s inspire change, one adult learner at a time. Join us in making adult education and family literacy a cornerstone of our educational system. Together, we can transform lives and uplift our entire community. Let’s educate, empower, and excel!

09/03/2026

Take a break after your 9-5 tomorrow and join us at Aki's BreadHaus - German Style Baking for a book drive benefiting Literacy Minnesota, all in honor of Dolly Parton and her love for literacy. Wear your coat of many colors and enjoy Dolly's music from 6PM - 7:30PM Friday night in this celebration of a one-of-a-kind icon. Books are being collected all week long, and we will always love you for participating!

Why stop with a one-night event?

Aki’s Breadhaus has partnered with Literacy Minnesota to launch the “For Dolly” Book Drive!

Starting a week from today, bring a new/gentled used K-5 book and get $1 off any purchase! Books will be donated to programs supporting youth in our community! See poster for donation details.

Also, spots are filling quickly for our Night for Dolly event! Sign up now and get a drink voucher for our celebration. (You might also want to run to spirit Halloween before they run out of wigs)

07/06/2026

Nothing builds community more than playing some favorite games, enjoying delicious food, and having conversations along the way at Open Door Saint Paul. Are our students and volunteers a tad competitive when it comes to those favorite games? 100%, and we love everything about it.

06/15/2026

Learning comes alive when it leaves the classroom. Students at Open Door Saint Paul recently explored the Minnesota History Center as part of the Bell Museum's Nature for New Minnesotans program - a curriculum that connects newcomers to our state with our natural and cultural heritage. They were able to explore Ojibwe history, Manoomin, and more.

Thank you to Bell Museum and Minnesota History Center for funding this experience so our students could participate at no cost. They explored Ojibwe history, Manoomin, and more. See more details and photos below. 👇

06/12/2026

This spring, our community set out to raise $100,000 by June 30 to support adult learners across the state. Generous donors have already brought us to $88,000!

Now we're in the final stretch, and the timing couldn't be better. A longtime Literacy Minnesota volunteer is matching every gift, up to $10,000, through June 30. That means a donation today goes twice as far.

Just $12,000 stands between us and our goal. Every dollar helps adults across Minnesota build the reading, writing, and digital skills they need to thrive.

💛 Help us cross the finish line: literacymn.org/litstrong

06/09/2026

We had a great time at Love on the Lawn (LOL) Lowry this weekend! ❤️

It was wonderful to spend the day connecting with neighbors, celebrating local creativity, and enjoying all the joy and energy that make North Minneapolis such a special place.

Thank you to everyone who stopped by to chat with our team. We're proud to be part of this community and grateful for opportunities to come together, learn from one another, and celebrate what makes our neighborhood strong. 📚🌿

A special shoutout to our staff volunteers (only a few pictured below!) who showed up with smiles, enthusiasm, and a love for community. Thank you for helping make the day so special!

06/05/2026

🎉 We'll be spreading some literacy love at Love on the Lawn (LOL) Lowry this Saturday!

Join us for an afternoon of music, art, food, laughter, and community in North Minneapolis. Stop by the Literacy Minnesota table to say hello - we'd love to meet you!

📅 June 6 | 12–6 p.m.
📍 Lyndale Ave N & Lowry Ave N
🎟️ Free & open to all

Bring a lawn chair, bring your neighbors, and join us for a celebration of joy, creativity, and connection. ❤️🌿📚

More details here: https://www.facebook.com/events/2378283982683582

06/01/2026

Our latest newsletter hit inboxes this morning, covering an update on how we're collaborating within the communities we serve, brief introductions to our newest board members, an opportunity to join our Summer Reads program as an AmeriCorps Vista Summer Associate, the latest update on our spring fundraising campaign, and more.

Make sure you're staying in the loop with us each month! We'll even make it easy and put the sign-up link right here: https://mailchi.mp/literacymn/grateful-6223683