Jeanette Lizondro

Our mission: To provide basic literacy and life skills training to low-income women using a holistic approach within a compassionate, supportive environment. All women are welcome without regard for race, religion, color, creed, sexual orientation or national origin. Mercy Learning Center (MLC) was founded in 1987 by two educators who wanted to assist mothers of children in the local schools who wanted to help their children succeed. Started as a one-on-one tutoring program, MLC has grown to offer comprehensive full- and part-time literacy and life skills programs, an educational childcare program and support services to nearly 900 women and over 150 of their children each year. To date, we have served over 10,000 women and their children. The need for English language and adult basic education for low-income women in Bridgeport is critical: - 1 in 10 women have less than a 9th grade education - 1 in 5 women do not have a high school diploma - 27.2% of Bridgeport residents are foreign-born and 46.1% of households speak a language other than English at home - The median family income in Bridgeport ($46,296) is less than half the median family income in Fairfield County ($101,721) Our approach is holistic, compassionate and transformational. Through our education and support services lives are changed forever—women’s lives, their families’ lives and even the lives of our volunteers and supporters.