Stanislaus Literacy center doubles in size

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Job seekers and those looking to improve their skills can visit the new, bigger ReadingWorks Learning Center.

The drop-in service site for the Stanislaus Literacy Center moved to a new office in downtown Modesto at the corner of 13th and M streets in June.

Executive Director Karen Williams said the program decided to move because of the more than 100 percent increase in students between the fourth quarter last year and first quarter this year.

"We had people sitting on the floor," she said. "We were like, OK, we have to do something."

The center, at 1230 13th St., Suite D, is about a block away from its previous location and twice the size. It offers free tutoring and testing in reading, math and writing for adults 18 and older.

In January, the center began seeing an influx of people looking to improve their skills and earn GEDs or other workplace certificates. They went from averaging about 50 people in a month to more than 100.

"I've been here for 13 years, and the most dramatic increase I've seen (in demand) was in the last few months," Williams said. "For job seekers, if you don't have your diploma, you may as well forget it. There are a lot of desperate people out there."

The nonprofit center has on-site instructional staff, a computer lab and volunteer tutors. All of its services are free, but clients must go through an orientation, and because of high demand there could be a waiting list for those wanting to attend.

A free open house is planned from 8 to 10 a.m. Friday. The Learning Center is open to the public from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday (closed for lunch from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.). For more information, call 548-9266.

Elsewhere around the Business Beat:

Modesto's women and girls have a new place to get well.

The new Generations Women's Wellness Center, 3133 McHenry Ave., Suite B, opened Sept. 12. It offers fitness, nutrition and other services to women and girls 13 and older.

Founder and president Annette Boatswain, a physician's assistant who has worked in health care for 30 years, said she wants the center to give women tools to take care of themselves.

The independently owned center plans to add a dietitian, chiropractor, esthetician and massage therapist to its staff.

The center also has circuit training, a sauna, meditation room and tonic bar. It will start offering public workshops in October.

There are membership and non-member rates for all services. The center's hours are 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Friday and 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday to Sunday. For more information call 577-2735.

And finally, two Modesto cleaning services have joined offices.

The Cleaning Authority and Fish Window Cleaning now both operate out of 4622 Glass Court, Unit A.

Call 543-8012 for The Cleaning Authority or 521-3474 for Fish Window Cleaning.

Have an item for Business Beat? Contact Marijke Rowland at The Modesto Bee, P.O. Box 5256, Modesto 95352; 578-2284 or mrowland@modbee.com.