Manatee Literacy Council

10/18/2026

Thanks to MLC Board Member Sam Skogstad for joining our table at the Bradenton Public Market on Saturday. It was a rainy day but we had a good conversation about literacy and our work in the community. Thanks, Sam!! 📚

10/17/2026

We’re all set up at the Bradenton Public Market. The rain has passed and it’s a beautiful day, so come on down! Market is open from 9:00-2:00.

10/16/2026

We’re Booked for the Holidays! Team MLC is heading to the Great Gingerbread Build-Off on Dec. 3, benefiting Manatee County Habitat for Humanity's 2027 Women Build. Learners, tutors, and staff will have 2 hours to build a literacy-themed gingerbread creation together, and we have 8 spots on the team!
Sign up for the fun here: https://forms.gle/Mm3qj2E53wpGGRDE9

10/16/2026

Join us at the Market tomorrow!

We know that sometimes the weather looks cloudy with a chance of rain. Last Saturday they predicted the same, and it ended up being a beautiful market day for us. All of our Friendors are small, local businesses who rely on us being open. We will always try our best to be open, unless the conditions become unsafe. Having said that, our plan is to open as usual tomorrow, Oct. 17, 9am-2pm. Please come out and show our Friendors some love! And stay tuned to our Facebook for any last minute weather updates.

🎉 Youth Booth: Charmed - Charleigh creates plushies, baby hats, bags/pouches, keychains, coaster, bookmarks, and more.

💃 Performances: MSA Dance

💗 Community Booths: Manatee Literacy Council, Second Chance Last Opportunity

📈 Commercial Booths: Dill Dinkers SRQ FL, HOTWORX

🎶 Bill Vinhage - Singer/Songwriter will be our musical guest near The Lost Kangaroo Pub, Matthew McCartney will be near Westminster

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⏰ Market Hours: Saturday, 9am-2pm, Oct - May

📍 Location: Downtown Bradenton on Old Main Street, 4th Ave W, 3rd Ave W

🚘 Parking: FREE parking in the City Centre Parking Facility and the Manatee County Parking Garage on Saturdays. Entrances to both garages from 10th Street W.

🚻 Restrooms: Behind the City Centre Parking Facility, take the sidewalk to the hallway before the mural on the wall

🗺️ Friendor Map: Check out the Realize Bradenton website for our vendor map

10/05/2026

Happy World Teachers' Day! 🍎📚

At Manatee Literacy Council, our teachers come from every walk of life: retired educators, business professionals, students, neighbors. What they share is a belief that every adult deserves the chance to read, write, and speak with confidence.

Every week, they help Manatee County adults fill out a job application, read to their children, pass a driver's license test, or talk with their child's teacher for the first time. That's independence, one lesson at a time.

To every volunteer tutor and instructor who gives their time and patience: thank you. You change lives, and you make our community stronger.

💙 Inspired? We're always looking for new volunteers, and no teaching experience is required. Learn more at www.manatee-literacy.org.

10/01/2026

Extra, Extra, Read all about it on !

Imagine struggling to read a note sent home by your child’s teacher.

09/28/2026

My husband, a History and English major (a long time ago, granted!) was once waiting for me in the office while one of our amazing tutors worked with a learner on preparing for their Citizenship Test. He later told me that he was fairly certain that he would fail if he had to take it that day. The dedication it takes to come to this country, learn the language and culture, and work towards Citizenship is breathtaking. Thank you, Welcome.us, for this lovely video!

09/21/2026

Improved literacy open doors and unlocks the potential for those motivated to EARN a piece of the American Dream....

09/19/2026

Family Literacy IS adult literacy, too!

🔢 FAMILY LITERACY BY THE NUMBERS: #20

📚 20 MINUTES. ONE FAMILY. SO MANY POSSIBILITIES! ❤️

We’re wrapping up Family Literacy by Numbers Week with one simple challenge:

⏰ Spend 20 minutes learning together!

Read a book 📖
Draw a picture 🎨
Write a story ✍️
Tell family stories 💬
Play a word game 🎲
Or simply talk about what you learned this week!

The activity doesn’t have to be complicated—the most important part is spending time learning together.

💡 What will your family continue doing after this week?

Small moments. Shared learning. Stronger families. ❤️
Manatee Literacy Council Literacy Council of Sarasota Literacy Volunteers of South Sarasota County

09/19/2026

Today is the last day of Welcoming Week, a national annual celebration that brings communities together to build mutual understanding, empathy, and connection between longtime residents and newcomers. This year's theme, "Stories We Share: The Courage to Connect," is a perfect fit for the story we want to share with you today: Yanette's.

One month ago, Yanette, one of our ESL learners, started a new job at a local school and made a promise in her interview: she would learn English. In her own words, translated from the original Spanish:

"I've been assigned to a classroom where all my coworkers speak English and only one speaks Spanish. The principal has been so kind, letting me use a translator while I learn. I've learned so much, but I still don't feel confident enough to speak out loud — my pronunciation isn't good yet. Still, I feel comfortable and like part of the teaching team. Everyone has been so welcoming. I hope to start a course or find a tutor soon. I've kept up with all my responsibilities and I keep practicing every day."

That's courage to connect, Yanette's, and her coworkers' too, who welcomed her in as one of their own.

Welcoming Week ends today, but the work of building an inclusive Manatee County continues all year. Want to help learners like Yanette get the tutoring and English classes they're asking for?

👉 Volunteer with us: https://manatee-literacy.org/volunteer-application/
👉 Support us: https://manatee-literacy.org/ways-to-give/