GCFLearnFree has launched a new Reading Program. Click here to check it out.
Assistive Devices Developed for GIENC Win Awards
Two teams of students, one from Duke University and the other from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have won honors for assistive devices they created for use by program participants at Goodwill Industries of Eastern North Carolina (GIENC®). The awards were for the 2009-2010 AbilityOne Network Design Challenge. Victor Lieu’s team from Duke won second place for its seed planting device (right, top) used in the GCF® Nature Center. Participants use templates positioned over seed trays to plant the correct amount of seeds in each section. For some, a seed dispenser makes the job even easier. Matthew Bostian’s team from UNC was a finalist for its time card system (right, bottom) used by the GIENC® HOURS Program. That device is helpful in colating pamphlets and time cards that are then placed with the help of the device, into a plastic zip lock bag. The top three winning teams were honored in early June at the NISH Grassroots Advocacy Conference in Washington, D.C. |
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GCFLearnFree.org Offers A New
Adult Literacy Game
It’s a game that lures you in with excellent graphics and audio. But it is much more than a game. Word Match is a learning tool for adults needing to improve their literacy skills, challenging them to match a common word with a picture.
Some of the images are easy and some make the learner think before choosing. While playing, the learner is also building his language skills. Word Match is a new feature found in the Everyday Life section of GCFLearnFree.org®, the free online computer and life skills training program operated by Goodwill Industries of Eastern North Carolina (GIENC®).
“Literacy problems are barriers to employment for many adults in this country,” explained Dennis McLain, president of GIENC®. “This game, that helps people develop and expand their vocabulary, is another literacy component found in the Everyday Life section of GCFLearnFree.org®.”
The lack of literacy in the United States is a very real problem. 22% of people tested in the 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL) scored at the Basic level in document literacy, representing 44 million Americans that do not know how to apply their basic literacy skills to everyday life.
The GCFLearnFree.org® Everyday Life project uses interactive, situation-based lessons to teach functional literacy skills. This new approach to learning allows learners to apply their basic literacy skills to real-world situations so they can gain the confidence and skills to be successful.
Monthly Safety Meeting Features Fire Extinguisher Training
Because safety is a priority at GIENC, employees at the GIENC headquarters and at each of the GCF Donation Centers & Stores participate in monthly safety meetings featuring topics addressing workplace safety. 
The May safety meeting focused on fire safety. At GIENC headquarters, firefighters from Durham County talked to employees about fire safety and then taught them the proper use of fire extinguishers.
News Available Now in the Spring Issue of the GCF Report
The Spring GCF Report has news about GCFLearnFree.org, which recently launched its new Reading Program, information about two assistive devices used in two of our programs that recently won awards, a story about donations from Meredith College, and our efforts to help Homeland Security.
