About us
Welcome!
Welcome!
We envision that equity in literacy, numeracy, and skills development will be key in unlocking the barriers of economic mobility.
As the saying goes, “it takes a village”. Subsequently, research shows that what families, teachers, and community programs do makes a difference in a person’s life. It's time for all of us to work together to ensure that everyone who wants to learn, has an opportunity to learn.
Until we ensure all learners are given equal access to high-quality learning, we have little chance of achieving social and economic equality. The Outreach Development Center (ODC) with the help of our partners will continue to provide programs, resources, and academic support certain learners need to succeed in life.
It is our shared responsibility to help those who want to help themselves.
Faith
Faith is the cornerstone of ODC. It is part of every activity that we do, every meeting that we hold. We believe in our Lord, and that our actions are a reflection of His goodness.
Scripture
We look to the Lord for guidance in our lives. In Scripture, we find all that we need to guide us in the right path. Reading and understanding Scripture helps us all live meaningful lives.
Community
Join us. We welcome each and every one of you to encounter the Lord's unconditional love with us. Inside each of us is a purpose and meaning to be fulfilled by God.
A brighter future for the children of Pontiac.
There is such a tremendous need in the area where we serve. According to the Oakland Literacy organization:
- The average reading proficiency score in our area is 17% versus 39% statewide average.
- The average math proficiency score is 14% versus 33% Michigan Public School average.
- Approximately 170,000 adults in our county are illiterate.
- Low literacy adversely affects the employability and earnings of adults. The widening "skill gap' aggravates income inequality.
- Low literacy adds billions of dollars to the country's annual health care cost.
- Children whose parents reported literacy difficulties have a 72% chance of being in the lowest reading level in school test compared to 25% of children in the lowest reading level overall (ProLiteracy.org).
- Children of parents who are not involved in their education are more likely to get poor grades, display behavioral problems, have high absentee rates, repeat school years, or drop out of school.
According to research conducted by the Michigan Department of Education, "In 2021 in the United States, all children should learn to read and learn to read well enough that they can fully pursue their dreams in adulthood." The article continues to report, ". . . literacy is a matter of economic necessity for children growing up in the 21st century."
Every person in our country is entitled to certain fundamental rights, simply by the fact that we are human beings. These rights should allow every person to have the opportunity to acquire basic skills, that will enable them to participate in our democratic system, as well as utilize their gifts and talents to earn a living.
School performance data tells us that many schools are neither meeting the learning benchmarks of the Every Student Succeeds Act, nor are they reducing racial and socioeconomic achievement gaps. The widening achievement gap, especially for some low-income children of color and other underrepresented minorities, has brought us to a critical point that while good schools remain critical, schools alone cannot educate our children.
