Houston Center for Literacy is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to lead and mobilize a coalition of literacy providers and resources to improve the literacy landscape of Houston. Houston Center for Literacy (formerly Houston READ Commission) is working to build a literate, prepared workforce by supporting literacy agencies and programs, engaging the entire community to join us in solving our city's low literacy problem, and connecting learners with the education they need to be prepared for the future. Established in 1988 by the Mayor and City Council, Houston Center for Literacy oversees the Mayor’s Coalition for Literacy, an association of more than one hundred and fifty literacy sites in Houston. These member organizations, also known as literacy providers, offer educational services geared toward the specific needs of their communities.