News Release

04/14/08
Walmart Presents $10,000 to Rhode Island Family Literacy Initiative

The Rhode Island Family Literacy Initiative (RIFLI) has received $10,000 from Walmart to support the statewide collaborative’s continuing literacy programs for adults. Martin Elizardo, Providence Walmart Store Manager, and Carol Moore, Assistant Manager, recently visited the Smith Hill Branch of the Providence Public Library to present the Walmart donation to RIFLI Program Coordinator Karisa Tashjian and members of RIFLI’s Workplace Communications class and to speak with them about entering the workforce.

“RIFLI is grateful for Walmart’s continued support and for Mr. Elizardo’s valuable visit with our Workplace Communications students,” said Tashjian when accepting the contribution.

Elizardo addressed the members of the RIFLI Workplace Communications class, offering tips for employment as well as encouragement, saying that possible jobs were available at Walmart. He explained in detail the qualities and skills that Walmart looks for when hiring, as well as how knowing two or more languages was an asset at Walmart.

One of the main goals for students in the Workplace Communications classes is to pursue a job or get a better job. The class began in September 2007, with the primary focus on acquiring the skills needed for obtaining employment or improving current employment situations while gaining English language and computer skills.

Developed in 1988 and led by staff at Providence Public Library, RIFLI is a statewide collaboration between five public, urban library systems, including Cranston, East Providence, Pawtucket, Providence and West Warwick. The program offers English as a Second Language (ESL), citizenship preparation, computer, family literacy and workplace communications classes, with a focus on students at the beginning and intermediate English language levels. The program is in its tenth year and annually hosts nearly 300 adults enrollees.

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