Most students stop when they have reached their goal, but this is not always the end of the students' relationship with the organization. Literacy centers not only want students to learn, but become involved. For example, Ramona Mercer was a former drug addict who decided to turn her life around. She became a worker in the Mayor's Commission on Literacy and now serves on the board for the Center for Literacy. While her story may be more dramatic than others, she is not alone in her success or her subsequent service.
Many former students return to volunteer as tutors, or help in some other way.
Others volunteer their time elsewhere, as one ESL woman in Colorado has. To continue running these organizations need money. Most receive funding from the government and charitable organization like the United Way. Some also receive funding from individuals and corporations. But even more than money, they need volunteers.