EMLC to English At Large

From EMLC to English At Large

EMLC is now English At Large.

We describe our programs as "Literacy and Learning for Life." Our revitalized identity is a strong step toward increasing attention to the urgent issue of low English literacy in adults.

Why we changed our name
During a yearlong strategic-planning process, the board and staff closely examined the issue of adult literacy. We saw that thousands of adults throughout the state continue to wait for help improving their English literacy. With the education and skills of our immigrant population increasingly connected to economic growth in Massachusetts, it became clear that we must do more.

We chose the name English At Large so that we can do more. We will use our new name to draw greater attention to the challenges faced by adults with low English literacy. English At Large is catchy, easy to remember, and easy to find (we are finally under English in the phone book).

Our new tag line, "literacy and learning for life," describes the practical, real-life instruction we provide. Our new logo suggests conversation and interaction.

English At Large will be a starting point for fresh dialogs as we work to expand our portfolio of services. Our goal is to build stronger relationships and partnerships with local communities, businesses, and community members—to increase our ability to serve.

Name-selection process
The name-selection process was undertaken with great care, much discussion, and the help of local branding agency Cahoots. Volunteers, board, and staff members participated in the discussions. Mildred Gilman, our founder, was present for and contributed every step of the way.

After serious deliberation, the name English At Large quickly surfaced as the strongest candidate. The board vote for the new name was unanimous.

What's new
The significant changes are as follows:

Web site: Our Web site address is now: www.englishatlarge.org.
Email: Office email addresses will now include englishatlarge.org instead of emlc.org. For example, general questions should now go to . For a short time, any email sent to an emlc.org email address will automatically forward to the correct englishatlarge.org address.
Community Literacy Councils (CLCs): Our successful volunteer support group initiative, the CLCs, is now known as the English At Large Volunteer Network.

What remains the same
We are proud of what we have already achieved. During our 35-year history, we have served more than 10,000 adults. As we look to the future, our structure and core values are unchanged.

Phone, fax, and address: Our phone and fax numbers remain the same. Our street address remains the same as well.
Tutor Report Forms: Monthly Tutor Report Forms remain available on the Tutors page.

We remain a volunteer-based organization that is:

Passionate about providing personalized, high-quality English literacy instruction to local adults.
Committed to the success of our learners—to helping them bridge both linguistic and cultural divides.
Inspired by our volunteers—the hundreds of generous individuals who do this good work every day.

English At Large is a dynamic, growing organization. The possibilities are limitless. We hope you will share our excitement. We invite you to join the conversation!

View the official press release.

Read founder Mildred Gilman's comments.