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LITERACY OF NORTHERN NEW YORK INC
WATERTOWN, NY · EIN 237330120 · Form 990EZ · FY2024 · Small ($100K-$1M) · literacynny.org
revenue
$114K
expenses
$114K
net assets
$50K
employees
—
mission · from form 990

THE PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION SHALL BE TO PROMOTE AND FOSTER INCREASED ADULT LITERACY IN JEFFERSON AND LEWIS COUNTIES THROUGH THE USE OF TRAINED VOLUNTEER TUTORS.

profile · synthesized from sources

Literacy of Northern New York provides free one-on-one tutoring and English as a Second Language classes to adults in Jefferson and Lewis Counties. The organization trains volunteer tutors and offers services in reading, writing, math, and English language skills. All programs are confidential and free of charge, supported by grants and community funding.

named programs · 3 · from sources

What they call their work

English as a Second Language (ESL) Classes
Free beginner and intermediate ESL classes offered three times a week at Watertown and Fort Drum locations, taught by paid staff, focusing on speaking, listening, grammar, and job-related language skills
One-on-One Tutoring
Individualized, confidential tutoring in reading, writing, math, and English language skills provided by trained volunteers; sessions held in public locations such as libraries
Volunteer Tutor Training Program
Online training for volunteer tutors with in-person orientation and final sessions; includes instruction on teaching methods and materials for adult literacy and ESL learners
activities · 4 groups

What they do

  • Adult Literacy and ESL Tutoring 2 activities
    • Provide one-on-one adult literacy tutoring
      Offers free, individualized, and confidential one-on-one tutoring for adults in reading, writing, math, and English language skills using trained volunteer tutors. Includes comprehensive intake, assessment, development of individualized learning plans, periodic reassessment after 30 hours of instruction to measure progress, and provision of free instructional materials.
    • Train volunteer tutors
      Offers flexible online training for volunteer tutors, supplemented by in-person pre- and post-sessions, to prepare them for delivering effective adult literacy instruction.
  • ESL and Citizenship Instruction 1 activity
    • Deliver English as a Second Language (ESL) classes
      Provides structured English as a Second Language (ESL) or English as a New Language (ENL) instruction for adult learners at beginner and intermediate levels, taught by paid staff three times per week at locations in Watertown and Fort Drum. Classes cover pronunciation, listening, speaking, conversation, reading, grammar, vocabulary, and job-search language skills, with curricula including phonics, choral reading, echo reading, and modeled reading techniques.
  • Children's Book Distribution Programs 1 activity
    • Distribute books and educational materials to families and students
      Distributes hundreds of children's books annually to impoverished families and provides free books and instructional materials to adult learners to support literacy development.
  • Educational Technology Access and Support 1 activity
    • Support remote tutoring through technology training and resources
      Provides tutors with access to webinars, online tutorials, and technical support for distance learning, including guidance on using Zoom for remote instruction delivery.
financials · form 990EZ · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$114K
Contributions & grants$108K95%
Program service revenue——
Investment income$2110%
Other revenue—
expenses
Total expenses$114K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits$87K
Grants paid out—
balance sheet
Total assets$69K
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$50K
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -6.7%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 1
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
MARY CECILIA BROCK EXECUTIVE DI 37 $38K
board members · 4
  • CARLA HAAS — DIRECTOR
  • JASON STOWELL — DIRECTOR
  • MARIAH GARRETT — DIRECTOR
  • SCARLETT SHARKEY — DIRECTOR
relationships · 13

Who they work with

  • Excellus Funder — Provided a grant to purchase instructional texts.
  • Flower Memorial Library Partner — Collaborates with tutors to help adult learners access library resources and obtain library cards.
  • Fort Drum Partner — Hosts ESL classes for soldiers and their family members in partnership with Literacy of Northern New York.
  • Immaculate Heart Central School Partner — Former employer of LNNY's Program Coordinator, indicating a local educational connection.
  • Literacy New York Network — Member of a statewide literacy network.
  • Lowville Partner — Location for tutoring services and volunteer training sessions.
  • NYS Education Department Funder — Provides grants that support the organization's free services.
  • ProLiteracy Network — Member of a national literacy organization network.
  • The Laubach Way to Reading Partner — Uses The Laubach Way to Reading curriculum as a core instructional resource for adult literacy tutoring.
  • United Way - Northern New York Partner — Collaborates with United Way - Northern New York on literacy initiatives.
  • United Way of Northern NY Funder — Provides grants that support the organization's free services.
  • Watertown Partner — Location for tutoring services and volunteer training sessions.
  • World Education Partner — Collaborates to provide distance learning resources and webinars for tutors.
strategies · 4

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Communicative and Comprehension-First Pedagogy
    methodology: comprehension_first_instruction
    By prioritizing narrative comprehension and fluency over isolated decoding, and using conversational pair work to simulate real-life language use, the organization builds confidence and functional literacy, because meaning-centered instruction enhances engagement and practical mastery in reading and speaking.
  • Community-Based, Flexible Access Model
    methodology: community_based_access
    By delivering one-on-one and small-group tutoring in flexible, public locations with negotiable schedules, the organization increases engagement and persistence, because accessibility, safety, and learner autonomy reduce barriers to participation for adult learners.
  • Integrated Life Skills and Literacy Instruction
    methodology: life_skills_integration
    By integrating practical life skills—such as technology use, health communication, and accessing community resources—into one-on-one literacy tutoring, the organization strengthens real-world application and motivation, because learners see immediate relevance and tangible benefits in their daily lives.
  • Volunteer Tutor Model with Structured Training
    methodology: volunteer-tutor_model
    By training community volunteers using a structured curriculum and evidence-based methods, the organization scales high-quality literacy instruction, because standardized preparation ensures instructional consistency and effectiveness across diverse volunteer tutors.