Thirty-seven million Americans live in poverty.

Thirty million Americans over 16 years old – that’s 14 percent of the country’s adult population – can’t read well enough to understand a story in the newspaper or to fill out a job application. In Rutherford County, 44 percent of adults read at or below the average third grade level.

Read To Succeed, Rutherford County’s literacy coalition, makes small steps to bridge the gaps of literacy every day. Working with the national program AmeriCorps VISTA, Read To Succeed has expanded both its family literacy and adult literacy programs exponentially, providing more free tutoring and in-school programs to promote reading than ever before.

AmeriCorps VISTAs are devoted to eradicating poverty in the United States. Nonprofits across the country utilize VISTAs – who serve fulltime at minimal expense to the organization – to expand and improve their capacity for change. Read To Succeed has had two full-time VISTAs in its offices for the past two years. And now, they’re looking for a third to continue to build its foundation of promoting and increasing literacy awareness.

“My time as an AmeriCorps has been the most rewarding experience I’ve ever had,” Read To Succeed current VISTA Shelly Stanley said. “After graduating college, I couldn’t think of a better way to spend my time than working toward such an important goal.”

Through AmeriCorps VISTA, college graduates can make a tangible difference. VISTA is a national service program designed specifically to fight poverty. VISTA has been on the front lines in the fight against poverty in America for more than 40 years.

Members commit to serve fulltime for a year at a nonprofit organization or local government agency, working to fight illiteracy, improve health services, create businesses, strengthen community groups, and much more. They create or expand programs designed to bring individuals and communities out of poverty.

Originally hatched by President John F. Kennedy in 1963, VISTA has continued to evolve and respond to local problems and the changing face of poverty.

Today, under President Barack Obama, VISTA is larger, stronger, and more vital than it has ever been. Its 6,500 members – who serve at 1,200 projects nationwide – continue to address the root causes of poverty. They are developing new programs, raising funds, helping manage projects, and otherwise building the capacity of nonprofit organizations to become sustainable and of families to break the cycle of poverty.

They also are setting the standard for volunteer mobilization and leading the charge to answer the President’s call for every American to become engaged in their community through volunteer service.

There are several AmeriCorps positions throughout the country. Read To Succeed is looking for someone to focus on building its volunteer program and developing its relationships with the community.