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Elizabeth Curtis
Fri, 02/29/2008

Illiteracy in America

News report uncovers the depth of the problem

On February 25, 2008 ABC reported a story on its World News program entitled, Out of the Shadows: Overcoming Illiteracy.
I was staggered by this report that found 1 in 20 adults in Grand Rapids, Michigan are illiterate. The city set a goal to cut illiteracy in half in 10 years, and in the last 4 years the program has helped 1,000 people.

Without literate adults, how can we expect to have success for the children of our community? Literacy, education, and financial stability are so intertwined with all issues related to poverty. Sometimes it's critical to focus on the basics.  read more »

Elizabeth Curtis
Tue, 02/12/2008

A Personal Perspective on a Public Crisis

The economics behind the foreclosure crisis are more complicated than I initially thought.

On January 23, 2008 I bought my first home. At the same moment a single mother lost her home to the foreclosure process. Purchasing a home that was in foreclosure was difficult, both personally and professionally, but has given me a new perspective on what is happening across our country.  read more »

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