Turning Pages is proud to fill needs in our community that nobody else will touch. Consider the situation of someone I will call "Terry", who called our office asking for help. As we talked, I helped her describe her need.
"I don't really know how to describe it," she said. "I guess I need to tell you my situation.
You see, I've had to undergo shock therapy recently, for depression. I'm doing a whole lot better now, but I can't seem to remember how to spell, and sometimes I can't write very well."
Was this a problem before?
"No. I was okay."
How is the situation affecting your life?
"I am well enough now that I am doing some work for a non-profit organization. I interview clients. The trouble is, I need to take notes and write reports. It's hard."
I explained to Terry that our services are delivered by volunteers. Was she okay being open about her psychiatric history? Could she get permission for a tutor to work with her while she writes her reports? She thought so.
I told Terry we would be happy to assess her current skill level and match her with a tutor if appropriate. "Perhaps your memory just needs to be stimulated systematically," I said, "to regain what you used to know. I'm not sure. But if you would like to try it, we can connect you with just the right person. We have a volunteer who will likely be interested in this and willing to help."
Terry's relief and appreciation were overwhelming.
The Turning Pages mission statement is "to enable adults to improve English language and reading skills through customized learning programs."
Our ability to help Terry is about as customized as you can get.
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