Volunteers for Literacy of Habersham is proving that community efforts effect change

“Books, Ducks, and a Sense of Purpose” By Carly McCurry

I was three weeks into housewifery, six months into the pregnancy, and drowning in clean laundry and reorganized spice racks when I stumbled on a small newspaper ad: “Volunteers for Literacy of Habersham needed ESOL teachers”. I sent an email.

VFL doesn’t boast a flashy logo, but its impact is real. They offer “free literacy support” to kids and adults—especially immigrants and low-income families—through “English classes, reading fairs, Little Free Libraries”, and more. When schools closed during COVID, VFL delivered books to doorsteps, proving literacy isn’t just about learning—it’s about “empowerment”.

In a county facing rising poverty and fading job prospects, VFL, which runs initiatives like the Dictionary Project and Scripps Spelling Bee, is helping people rewrite their futures—one book at a time. And in spring, they make it joyful, too—with events like “Dec-A-Duck” and the Soque River Duck Race, blending fun and fundraising.

I didn’t conquer French cooking, but I found purpose in a paperback and a yellow duck. Sometimes that’s enough.

— The original story was edited to fit our website profile.