Neil Druker: Binding the Future of Child...

In our diversified and advanced country, it is hard to believe there are still thousands of people who cannot read or write. These folks struggle to comprehend simple messages most others take for granted such as public notices, menus, or even their mail. Neil Druker understands that illiteracy is a majorly pervasive issue, effecting both American adults and children. He, along with other Boston-local advocates, targets his efforts for diminishing illiteracy at youth.

Literacy is an increasingly important skill all children should have the right and ability to possess. Familiarity and knowledge of even the simplest reading and writing conventions can significantly increase a child’s capacity for exploring and enjoying life-enhancing opportunities.

On the other hand, illiteracy in children often has the reverse effect: producing a negative, entrenched cycle, illiterate children form poor outlooks on nearly every aspect of life including personal health, education, and employment. When children from low-income families who were never taught to read or write become adults who cannot read or write, they are likely to enter criminal or anti-social realms of society where literacy is not valued, and frankly unnecessary.

In effect, these under-educated members of society cost the government and its taxpayers a sizeable amount of money and resources; in the United States, nearly each illiterate adult equates to more than one quarter million dollars in federal services and aid. Evidently, literacy is more than a personal struggle; it is a social issue. As a man with particular personal interests in the success and stability of his community, Neil Druker was motivated by this statistic.

One of the major factors of illiteracy among children is simply access to age-appropriate reading material. In many cases, especially in low-income families, the only book a child will ever encounter in his home is the Phone Book. It is the typical social cycle: literate parents will make certain their children can read and write, illiterate parents either will not bother or do not know where to start.

Having enjoyed success as a financial executive, Neil Druker sees the injustice inherent in the cycle of literacy and knows he has the means to make a difference.  Many of the affluent public schools in his community host annual book drives that generate massive donations for the disadvantaged schools and other programs.