United Way has selected five nonprofit organizations to receive small grants totaling $24,250 that will expand literacy activities in Fort Worth, Hurst and other Tarrant County locations. The grants will be used to purchase learning materials and provide instructor stipends.

Funding for the grants was donated by Verizon. The recipients are Catholic Charities, the Cultural Center of the Americas, HOPE Literacy, Mission Central and The Women’s Center.

United Way of Tarrant County, United Way of Metropolitan Dallas and the North Texas Future Fund make up an alliance that sought the funding from Verizon.

One in five Tarrant County adults falls into the lowest level of literacy, unable to read a prescription, fill out a job application or read a simple children’s story. The need for additional literacy classes and learning materials is great.