It might be hard to believe that while you are reading this newspaper, this editorial, there are people in our community who do not have the ability to do the same.

Thank goodness, then, for the Suffolk Literacy Council. Based out of the Suffolk Christian Church, the Council offers free tutoring in reading for adults, as well as those with limited reading skills.

If not for volunteers like Jennifer Bunn, who has dedicated 19 years to the organization, countless Suffolkians would lack what should be a basic right for all Americans: the ability to read.

If more people in the community would give of their time and/or money, the Suffolk Literacy Council would be able to educate even more individuals, thereby making them more productive members of society.

After all, in the words of former President Clinton: “Literacy is not a luxury; it is a right and a responsibility. If our world is to meet the challenges of the 21st century, we must harness the energy and creativity of all our citizens.”