Greetings!

In April, we hosted the Decoda Literacy Conference, where over 200 participants from across BC and national literacy organizations gathered to address the challenges of low literacy in our communities.

Decoda is proud to be spearheading efforts to develop a provincial literacy strategy aimed at bolstering community resilience.

At the conference, a panel comprising government leaders and literacy experts delved into the profound impacts of low literacy on health, employment and beyond. We were honoured to have them share their insights and expertise, enriching the discussion with their invaluable perspectives.

Please take a moment to learn about the success of the conference and how these discussions will contribute to advancing literacy in BC.

Special thanks to our supporters: the Government of B.C., WorkSafeBC, and RBC for their contributions, as well as to RBC employee volunteers who donated their time to assemble conference materials. We are grateful to all our vendors and volunteers who made the conference a huge success.

This issue highlights Decoda’s volunteer Board of Directors. They’re respected leaders whose decisions help communities in BC. Their dedication and wisdom steer Decoda and reflect its values.

I invite you to read their profiles and learn about their commitment to literacy.

Happy Mother’s Day to all who are celebrating.

A big part of Decoda’s work is to support mothers reach their literacy goals.

In this issue, we share the inspiring journey of Tetiana, an immigrant mother who found support through community literacy programs as she transitioned to life in Canada.

You can help mothers like Tetiana by donating today!

It’s always bittersweet to bid farewell to staff members who have contributed greatly to Decoda over the years, but we’re happy to wish Fanny Romeyn and Christie Case the best as they embrace new challenges in the next chapter of their lives. Decoda extends our heartfelt thanks to them.

In April, we welcomed two new staff members to the Decoda team: Ginna Ng, Controller and Alex Jang, Library Technician.

As always, we are so grateful to our government funders. This spring, in addition to ongoing annual funding, the province has provided a one-time boost of $700,000 to support the expansion of community programs. Thank you!

Of course, none of our work would be possible without the generous support of each and every one of you.

Thank you for your continued generosity and unwavering support. Together, we’re sowing seeds of change and transforming lives through the power of literacy.

Warm regards,

Sandra Lee