About
Who We Are
Founded in 1972, The Literacy Alliance (TLA) is a not-for-profit organization based in Fort Wayne, Indiana, that empowers adults through free literacy and education programs—such as high school equivalency (HSE) preparation (Project Graduate), adult basic literacy (Project Build), and English language learning (Project Connect)—while also tutoring young readers (Project Reads).
TLA’s work extends beyond literacy into workforce development. By helping adults earn diplomas, improve English, and strengthen essential skills, we equip them to access career training, secure employment, and advance in the workplace. Our programs are closely aligned with employer needs and regional workforce initiatives, ensuring that students are building both academic foundations and job-ready skills
Mission Statement
Literacy changes lives. Our mission is to empower people and strengthen community through education.
Values Statement
We put learners at the center of everything we do, guided by respect, trust, and belief in the power of opportunity. Every choice we make opens new pathways to literacy, education, and a brighter future.
Vision Statement
Our future is one where The Literacy Alliance drives generational change through education, serving as a catalyst for transformation across the region.
Culture Statement
At The Literacy Alliance, each program, decision, and interaction is guided by the needs and goals of the students we serve. We believe literacy is the foundation for lasting change — not just for individuals, but for families and entire communities.
Our culture is built on compassion, empowerment, and a belief in every learner’s potential. We foster respect, belonging, and high expectations.
We honor the diverse stories our students bring and champion their journeys toward personal growth, career readiness, and lifelong learning. Literacy changes lives. Together we are building a stronger future, one student at a time.
While Allen County is fortunate to have excellent academic options from pre-school through college and beyond, there are 55,000 adults without a high school degree or basic English proficiency skills; only 4% are enrolled in a literacy program. These adults are more likely to be unemployed, under-employed, or stuck in low-wage jobs. Literacy and workforce development are deeply connected: without strong reading, writing, and math skills, adults struggle to qualify for training programs or move into family-sustaining careers.
The Literacy Alliance partners with employers and workforce organizations to provide on-site instruction, contextualized learning, and direct pathways into career opportunities. This approach strengthens our region’s talent pipeline, benefits local businesses, and creates opportunities for individuals to achieve financial stability.
Impact
Since 1972, The Literacy Alliance has helped 16,000+ adults improve their skills to work, live, and raise their families—including 2,200+ adults who earned their high school equivalency diplomas after studying with us. Each achievement represents more than academic progress; it is a step toward workforce participation, career growth, and community resilience.
History
In the Beginning
In the 1970s, the Fort Wayne Literacy Council was formed to match volunteer tutors with adults who wanted to improve reading skills. The Northeast Indiana Literacy Coalition was formed earlier as a coordinating group to raise community awareness. In 1988, the two groups merged to create Three Rivers Literacy Alliance (TRLA). Services were expanded to include two learning centers where adults gathered to work on basic skills. Fort Wayne Community Schools provided teachers. Fort Wayne Housing Authority provided classroom space. TRLA provided trained tutors, coordination, and outreach services, including childcare and transportation.
Expansion and Partnerships
In 1991, TRLA contracted with CANI Head Start to open a third learning center with a family literacy focus at Head Start’s St. Peter’s facility. In January 1993, two more learning centers at New Haven Methodist Church and Miami Village opened. Additional sites were opened and closed over the years due to changing needs and lack of funding. TRLA also offered workforce literacy services for employers including Parkview Hospital staff, Morrill Motors, and Press Seal Gasket.
Additional services included book distribution through the Books for Kids program, which expanded to the Read to Me Campaign, and the creation of a Kenan Model family literacy program at East Wayne Street Center and Adams Elementary School in 1994. In 1997, TRLA purchased phonics software and a computer for student use. In 1999, TRLA moved to a new location on Clay Street.
In 2000, an English literacy program targeting Hispanic families opened. Several foundations supported these services. TRLA partnered with Fort Wayne Urban League to offer book-sharing tips to inner-city minority families. The organization’s name was shortened to The Literacy Alliance (TLA) in 2004 and introduced to the community in a marketing campaign with a new logo and printed materials. At the Allen County Public Library, TLA started offering classes for adult learners at the lowest reading levels in 2009.
The agency opened two new centers in 2014 in Monroeville and Waynedale, two areas with higher concentrations of adults without high school diplomas. In January 2014, the State of Indiana adopted the High School Equivalency exam (HSE) to replace the GED. The City of Fort Wayne provided funding for adult basic literacy classes, while Northeast Indiana Workforce Development provided funding for high school equivalency preparation and exams.
The former executive director, Judith Stabelli, retired in 2014 after more than 20 years of service with The Literacy Alliance. In July 2014, Mike Landram was named executive director by the board of directors. In 2016, the organization moved to The Summit, a community campus located at 1005 W. Rudisill Blvd., Suite 307 in Fort Wayne. To prepare adults for success, TLA added workforce preparation and training services in 2017. At the end of 2019, Mike Landram retired, and the board of directors appointed Melinda Haines chief executive officer in January 2020.
Project Reads (PR) is the signature program of the Allen County Education Partnership (ACEP) founded in 1991 by a group of Fort Wayne business leaders, among them the late Ian Rolland and the late Jack Lehman, to promote a literate and skilled citizenry and to support the area’s public schools in their efforts to accomplish this goal. PR is an individual literacy tutoring program in which volunteer mentors meet once a week to help striving young readers develop and improve their literacy skills. Since 1994, PR has focused its resources on early literacy initiatives.
The Sixth Decade and Beyond
On June 23, 2021, the Allen County Education Partnership board of directors voted to dissolve the organization and transfer the assets to The Literacy Alliance, whose board voted to accept those assets and pledged to make a good faith commitment to keep Project Reads programming in its current form with individual mentoring. By assuming Project Reads’ assets, The Literacy Alliance ensured early literacy services for first through third graders. This became official September 1, 2021.
The acquisition of Project Reads allowed for an opportunity to rebrand TLA, including the mission statement, logo, and website, as well as renaming programs for more consistency and clarity for all stakeholders. In 2022, pre-HSE became Project Build, HSE became Project Graduate, ELL became Project Connect, and the fee-for-service and employer-based services became Project Aim.
How Can You Help?
Recommend The Literacy Alliance to a potential student who needs assistance to obtain basic literacy, English proficiency skills, or high school equivalency test preparation.
If you are an employer struggling to fill jobs requiring a basic high school education, refer your employees or potential applicants to us so that they can receive free services to help them obtain employment with you or move up to a higher work classification. Contact us to learn how we can bring Project Graduate (high school equivalency (HSE) class), Project Connect (English Language Learners) class, or skills certification class to your organization or business.