In a corner of Southeast San Diego where 92% of students are economically disadvantaged and just 39% read at grade level, a small church-based tutoring program has rolled up its sleeves to make a difference.

“We’re just community members,” said Pastor Robert Pope of Encanto Southern Baptist Church. “But we are seeing the broader call for the community to step in and fill this gap,” Pastor Pope said.

Poverty, language barriers and underfunded schools contribute to a growing literacy crisis nationwide, and in San Diego. Compelled to take action after observing widening education disparities post-pandemic, the Encanto Village Tutoring Program is working to close the education gap in one of San Diego’s most underserved communities.

Uncovering the need

Children’s literacy rates are dropping

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