page_title: ProLiteracy
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: ProLiteracy / History
caption_attribution_description: English: President George W. Bush congratulates Ruth Johnson Colvin after presenting her with the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Friday, December 15, 2006.
context_page_description: ProLiteracy, also known as ProLiteracy Worldwide, is an international nonprofit organization that supports literacy programs that help adults learn to read and write. Based in Syracuse, ProLiteracy has over 800 member programs in the U.S. and is active in 20 developing countries.
context_section_description: ProLiteracy was formed when Laubach Literacy International and Literacy Volunteers of America, Inc. merged in 2002.
  Laubach Literacy International’s history began in 1930, when Dr. Frank C. Laubach, missionary among the Maranao people of the Philippines, decided that solving poverty meant to educate in literacy. From 1935 to 1967, Dr. Laubach visited 105 countries answering calls for literacy help and created reading lessons in 315 languages. He founded Laubach Literacy International in Syracuse, N.Y. in 1955.
  Literacy Volunteers of America was founded in 1962 by Ruth Johnson Colvin, who developed a means to train volunteers to tutor adults.
caption: Ruth Johnson Colvin with President George W. Bush receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Friday, Dec. 15, 2006
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