Lincoln Literacy

Lincoln Literacy Lincoln Literacy's mission is to strengthen our community with language and literacy skills.

This is the official page of Lincoln Literacy, an award-winning nonprofit organization based in Lincoln, Nebraska. Established in 1972, it provides English language and literacy skills to adults and families living in Lancaster County.

When Refah first connected with us, she took our specialized teacher preparation and para-educator prep classes, working...
05/30/2026

When Refah first connected with us, she took our specialized teacher preparation and para-educator prep classes, working closely with our team to navigate her career path. Thanks to her incredible dedication, she successfully secured a position as a local para-educator!

But Refah didn’t stop there. Driven by a deep passion for education and giving back, she dreamed of creating a space to pass along knowledge to the next generation. Lincoln Literacy was honored to pull together alongside her, helping her secure a dedicated location to officially launch her own Arabic school.

Today, Refah’s school thrives right here in Lincoln, serving between 20 and 50 students.

"I truly wanted to express, from the bottom of my heart, how grateful I am for Lincoln Literacy," Refah shared. "They have been such an incredible source of support in my life. I still think often about how Lincoln Literacy helped me find a place for my Arabic school, which is something that made such a huge difference for me and my students."

Refah is a beautiful example of our community of caring and learning in action. By providing the educational foundations she needed, she was able to turn around and build a bridge of opportunity for dozens of local families.

We are so incredibly proud of you, Refah, and we can’t wait to see how your beautiful work continues to grow.

Our workforce and professional prep classes are offered completely free to neighbors like Refah thanks to our generous community. Visit https://buff.ly/Hk7LL4B to learn how you can support our mission today.

On behalf of our staff, volunteers, and board members - thank you! Give to Lincoln Day 2026 broke all records with $219,...
05/29/2026

On behalf of our staff, volunteers, and board members - thank you! Give to Lincoln Day 2026 broke all records with $219,268 raised to help our 3,000+ students on their journey to literacy!

We are thrilled that over 400 people donated yesterday in support of our mission teaching English and workplace skills. We will use these funds to buy books, classroom supplies, diapers and snacks for our childcare, and gas for our 15-passenger vans.

We are overwhelmed with gratitude to the community. We walk alongside our students as they gain literacy and workplace skills to achieve their dreams - becoming a nurse, starting a business, reentering the profession from their country of origin, or gaining the computer and digital skills to take an offered promotion from entry-level to supervisor.

What did Lincoln Literacy staff do to celebrate? We went to the Sheldon Museum on the University of Nebraska campus to see the Hyphen American exhibit. I also visited my two favorite works - a Rothko and an Edward Hopper that are long-time residents at the museum.

Our classes start again on Monday for our summer session. Thank you to our 200+ volunteer tutors that teach at ten community locations all across Lincoln. We could not do this without each and everyone one of you!

Ever wonder what goes on inside our workplace and occupational skills classes? Our team has been busy this semester help...
05/29/2026

Ever wonder what goes on inside our workplace and occupational skills classes? Our team has been busy this semester helping neighbors build the language and technical foundations they need to thrive in local jobs.

Nancy shared that these specialized classes go far beyond vocabulary. Students are diving into real-world workplace skills — learning how to navigate safety protocols, master digital tools, understand industry regulations, and communicate effectively with supervisors and colleagues.

We are incredibly proud of the hard-working cohorts who completed their classes so far this semester:

- Instinct (Workplace Level 1)

- Kawasaki Lincoln Careers (Workplace Level 1)

- ECHO Collective (Computer Level 2)

- Food Safety Certification

Not pictured: We also had three driving safety classes wrap up successfully this semester!

By teaching these targeted job skills alongside English, we can provide the precise language bridge that highly motivated individuals need to unlock their professional talents right here in Lincoln.

Take a look through the photos below to see our amazing students in action. 📸

Our workplace literacy programs are offered completely free to students thanks to our generous donors and community partners. Want to support workforce development in our city? Visit our website at https://buff.ly/Hk7LL4B to learn how you can donate or volunteer today.

Meet César, a Computer Engineering graduate from Cuba who currently works as an operator at Instinct.When César first jo...
05/28/2026

Meet César, a Computer Engineering graduate from Cuba who currently works as an operator at Instinct.

When César first joined our free workplace English classes at Instinct Pet Foods last September, he started as a low beginner. But César is always in "student mode." Thanks to his incredible drive and hard work, he recently advanced to High Beginner. 🚀

Six months ago, basic interactions were a major challenge. Today?

"Both at work and in the community, I understand much more of what people say to me," César shared. "Although I do not speak English perfectly yet, I can understand a lot more than before, and that makes me feel very good and more confident in my daily interactions."

For highly skilled professionals like César, learning English serves as the essential "language bridge" to unlocking their full potential right here in Lincoln.

"Being able to communicate in English is my primary goal right now, as it would open the doors to many opportunities, both professionally and personally," he said.

Our life-changing, nonprofit literacy programs are only possible because of our amazing community. When asked what he would say to the donors who keep our classes completely free, César said:

"Thank you, a thousand times, thank you. Please continue with this beautiful work, which helps so many people who wish to continue developing their talents and building a better future. Your support truly changes lives."

We are so proud of you, César! 🌟

📸 Photo: César is the tall guy on the far left of the group photo from last fall's Instinct cohort.

Want to empower more neighbors like César?

Donate to Give to Lincoln Day (Lincoln Community Foundation) through midnight TONIGHT (May 28) at https://buff.ly/rsyCVkJ.

Or visit our website at https://buff.ly/Hk7LL4B to learn how you can support our free classes and tutoring programs any day of the year.

Oleksandr joined our high-beginner English class last fall at level 2. By this May, he tested all the way up to level 5....
05/27/2026

Oleksandr joined our high-beginner English class last fall at level 2. By this May, he tested all the way up to level 5. Back home in Ukraine, he was a highly accomplished electrical engineer. When he arrived in Nebraska, he started out as an assembly line worker at Kawasaki Lincoln Careers, taking Lincoln Literacy’s on-site workplace classes and learning with our wonderful instructor, Nataliia.

Thanks to his immense hard work, Oleksandr recently reached a major milestone toward his dream career: he just accepted a position as an Electrical Switchgear Tester at Eaton Corporation's Omaha Power Center. ⚡️🛠

But his professional growth is only half of the beautiful story. Last year, he met Yana in our literacy classes. We were able to help Yana transition into a healthcare career, and she now works at Bryan Health. The two fell in love, moved to Omaha this April, and they are officially getting married this June! To make their new chapter even more special, they are also expecting a baby soon. 👶🍼

Oh, and did we mention Oleksandr is a professional long-distance runner? Even after moving to the U.S., he kept up his passion, competing in a massive race this year and finishing in the top 300. 🏅

From basic English to an engineering career, we are so proud to share Oleksandr's phenomenal journey.

Oleksandr and Yana’s story shows exactly what happens when determination meets opportunity. It takes a community of caring, volunteer tutors, and dedicated donors to keep our classes completely free so our newest neighbors can thrive.

Want to support students like Oleksandr? Donate to Give to Lincoln Day (Lincoln Community Foundation) through midnight on May 28 (TOMORROW) at https://buff.ly/rsyCVkJ.

Learn more about our free language and workforce programs, sign up to volunteer, or give after May 28 at ➡️ https://buff.ly/Hk7LL4B.

Laiq served 17 years in the Afghan Special Forces and worked in a prosthetic lab before arriving in Nebraska in 2021. To...
05/26/2026

Laiq served 17 years in the Afghan Special Forces and worked in a prosthetic lab before arriving in Nebraska in 2021. Today, he is working hard to transition his passion for healthcare into a sustainable medical career right here in Lincoln.

"In the medical field, you can work with everybody, help everybody, every gender, religion... So there is no border." — Laiq

We are so grateful to 10/11 News for highlighting Laiq's incredible journey and the impact of the federal Afghan Refugee Career Development grant!

Through our partnership with the Nebraska International Council for Refugees and Immigrants, this federal grant allowed us to offer support for books, tuition, and diploma assessments. This ensures our new neighbors can step into their chosen fields or begin the journey toward their dream careers.

It takes an entire community of caring and learning to open these doors. To our dedicated volunteers, donors, and community partners — thank you for walking alongside our students from basic skills to big dreams.

Did you know your gift in May goes even further thanks to a proportional match from the Lincoln Community Foundation?

Donate to help learners like Laiq for Give to Lincoln Day through midnight on May 28 at 👉https://buff.ly/rWhbpvt

After May 28, you can give on our website at lincolnliteracy.org.

Attention Tutors! 🎓 Looking for a new way to help your students level up their English skills? Nataliia has seen firstha...
05/20/2026

Attention Tutors! 🎓 Looking for a new way to help your students level up their English skills? Nataliia has seen firsthand how much students love using the Learning Upgrade app. Thanks to a grant from ProLiteracy, this high-energy learning tool is completely free for our participants this year.

You can learn more about the app at https://buff.ly/0sC81P4. Your dedication helps our newest neighbors unlock their full potential.

If you’d like to support the work our tutors do every day, please consider a gift to our Give to Lincoln Day (Lincoln Community Foundation) campaign:

👉 https://buff.ly/tIR4mGK.

Love this heart-warming review! 🌟 At Lincoln Literacy, there is nothing better than seeing our students chase their drea...
05/20/2026

Love this heart-warming review! 🌟 At Lincoln Literacy, there is nothing better than seeing our students chase their dreams — and catch them.

We recently received this wonderful feedback from Helda, and it reminds us why our volunteer tutors and teachers are the heartbeat of this organization:

"Lincoln Literacy has been an amazing place for me to get help with my goals. Mia and Abby were the best and most supportive teachers everrrrr! Thanks for being there and willing to help immigrants chase their dreams ⭐"

Helda, thank you for sharing your journey with us. We are so proud of the progress you’ve made. And a huge shout-out to Mia and Abby for providing the kind of support that makes our classrooms feel like home.

Whether it's learning English, preparing for a GED, or gaining new job skills, we are here to ensure every new American in Lincoln has the tools to succeed.

Help us help others thrive.

Today, you can support students like Helda by making a gift for Give to Lincoln Day (Lincoln Community Foundation). Your donation helps keep our classes free and provides vital support like childcare and transportation.

👉 Give here by May 28: https://buff.ly/tIR4mGK.

A huge thank you to our friends at Nebraska Wesleyan University, Morgan Smith, and the sisters of Willard Sorority for c...
05/18/2026

A huge thank you to our friends at Nebraska Wesleyan University, Morgan Smith, and the sisters of Willard Sorority for choosing Lincoln Literacy as the beneficiary of their "S’more Local Love" event.

The Willard sisters put in the work to support our mission. Bryan had the chance to speak at their house meeting to share how literacy changes lives, and Sandra joined the fun at the event to celebrate with the students.

Together, they raised over $1,400 to help our newest neighbors gain the English and job skills they need to thrive!

We are so grateful for these young leaders and their commitment to the Lincoln community. Community partnerships like this make it possible for us to serve over 3,000 students this year.

Want to keep the "Local Love" going? You can join Willard Sorority in supporting our students by making a gift for Give to Lincoln Day (Lincoln Community Foundation). Every dollar helps us keep our classes free and accessible for everyone.

👉 Donate here: https://buff.ly/tIR4mGK.

Our Spring classes wrap up on May 16. We want to give a huge shout-out to our Site and Data Coordinator, Rik Minnick, fo...
05/15/2026

Our Spring classes wrap up on May 16. We want to give a huge shout-out to our Site and Data Coordinator, Rik Minnick, for making sure everyone stays in the loop. Rik has created handouts and posters to help students and tutors prepare for the upcoming break.

Key Dates to Remember:

✅ Last day of Spring classes: May 16

☀️ Summer classes begin: June 1

As we prepare for a record-breaking Summer term, please consider supporting our mission for Give to Lincoln Day (Lincoln Community Foundation). Your donations keep these classes free and help us provide the transportation and childcare our students need to succeed.

👉 Give here: https://buff.ly/tIR4mGK.

Address

1023 Lincoln Mall, Ste. 104
Lincoln, NE
68508

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

(402) 476-7323

Website

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