90% of Fortune 1000 companies expressed concern that low literacy levels were limiting their productivity and profitability.

The May, 2001 issue of Training revealed that "literacy problems cost U.S. companies $60 billion annually in lost productivity."

Set these stark statistics against the encouraging fact that increasing workers' literacy level by one year was found to increase productivity by an average of 11 percent. We can have the workforce we need if we invest in adult literacy.

In Massachusetts, many job training programs have empty seats because there are not enough candidates with the required basic skills while almost all community-based adult literacy programs have lists of adults waiting to get into their classes.

Investment in adult literacy is a direct investment in our economic future. A full year of adult literacy education costs only $3,000 and provides immediate, measurable results.

Contribute to the Boston Adult Literacy Fund and know that your gift's lifetime returns in terms of increased earning power and economic productivity will be many times greater than your original investment.