The nonprofit Dogwood Literacy Council in Siloam Springs, Arkansas, is struggling to find the funds to help keep it open, due to COVID-19.
The council plans to close its doors to in-person classes after Thanksgiving and will try to reopen in January 2021 because of rising COVID-19 cases.
The council first shut its doors in March to in-person classes because of the coronavirus, but reopened on June 1. Executive Director Charlie Muessemeyer said the nonprofit has been battling with the number of students they have.
“COVID has really affected the numbers that we have, and I have at least two grants that run on how many people I serve,” Muessemeyer said. “COVID is going to mess up at least two of my rather larger grants, and then it’s hard to ask for donations from people when everybody here has like a sliver of the job they used to have before COVID.”
Muessemeyer said people who normally donate to the council have either not been able to, or are not giving as much as usual.
Donna Andrade, a volunteer at the council, said she’s noticed COVID-19 has impacted the number of students they’ve had.
Andrade and Muessemeyer, said the council is practicing proper protocol to make the students feel safe from the virus. The council provides masks, hand sanitizer and spaces the desks 6-feet apart. The distancing of the desks have made the classroom capacity smaller, this being one of the reasons the number of students has dwindled down as well.
The council has two classrooms with six people in one classroom and eight in the other. Andrade said they’ve had to turn some students away because they reached capacity in both of their classrooms.
The council offers multiple classes like, English, citizenship classes and one-on-one literacy classes to name a few. All classes offered are free, and anyone can attend.
Muessemeyer and Andrade said they’ve seen success in their students with improving their English as a second language and their citizenship classes.
“In the last two years, we’ve had about 20 new citizens,” Muessemeyer said.
The council is a big deal to people who do not know English in the community, so losing the nonprofit could be very impactful for them, Andrade said.
In the meantime, Muessemeyer said she knows there’s enough money until this coming summer, but is spending frugally and is trying her best to keep things running.
Muessemeyer said she applied for six grants and did not receive any of them, but will continue to search and apply for different grants to help in the future.
The council welcomes any donations and volunteers. To donate and learn more, visit the Dogwood Literacy Council website.
