Portland Literacy Council (PLC) is a nonprofit organization that supports adult literacy programs, tutors, and students in the Portland metropolitan area.

PLC activities include delivering online and in-person tutor training workshops, supporting Pacific Northwest literacy programs, providing GED test vouchers to low-income students, sponsoring an annual volunteer tutor conference, and publishing an online newsletter and announcements of interest to the adult literacy community.

Learn More

New and Noteworthy

Willamette Week’s 2025 Give!Guide

We are so excited to be a part of this year’s Give!Guide and to be joined by so many fantastic non-profits around Portland. Link to more details.

The campaign begins on November 1 and closes at midnight December 31. In addition to our fundraising goal of $12,000, we are excited to increase awareness of PLC’s mission and expand our impact across the community.

Donate to PLC via the Give!Guide page to be entered for a chance to win fun prizes.

Action is the Antidote

PLC’s 2025 Community Impact Report is now available.  This report describes the inspiring work of PLC and the many volunteers supporting adult learners over the last year.

Stay Connected!

Subscribe to the LiteracyLinks Newsletter

Subscribe to Tutor Announcements and Workshops

Tutors Needed

PCC Sylvania needs volunteers for their Literacy Hour, Monday and Wednesdays, October  6 – November. Click here for the flyer with more information.

Portland Literacy Council is beginning a pilot program in collaboration with St. Andre Bessette Catholic Church to offer literacy tutoring to the homeless people who use their services. Tutoring times will be 11AM Tuesdays and Thursdays and we need 1-2 more experienced volunteer tutors. If you are interested, please email Lorie at lwigle@portlandliteracy.org

Literacy Facts

  • The literacy levels of parents are crucial in predicting their children’s literacy levels and educational attainment. (National Institute for Literacy)
  • More than 20% of adults read at or below a fifth-grade level,which prevents them from working at jobs with a living wage, hinders their ability to vote, and impedes their ability to read a newspaper. (National Institute for Literacy)
  • Adults who have not received high school diplomas are unemployed at nearly three times the rate of their peers with high school diplomas. (State of Oregon Employment Dept.)
  • The single greatest indicator of children’s success is the literacy level of their parents.
    • 43% of adults with low literacy skills live in poverty
    • 36 million adults in the U.S. have low literacy skills.

    Break the cycle of poverty:
    Reach a child in need — Teach an adult to read.

On our For Tutors page, check out the Resources for Tutoring Online drop-down for a wealth of tools and ideas for Online Tutoring.  Here’s a sampling: