TBI Literacy hosted the 2nd annual TBI Literacy Louisiana Juke Joint fundraiser Concert on Saturday.

Guests were grooving into the night. Available for purchase was a home cooked meal of fried chicken with pumpkin pie for dessert to enjoy while dancing to the soul music by Barbara Morrison, Sonny Green, “Texas Song Bird” Sherry Pruitt, Promise Marks and the Joe Kincaid Band.

The student Ambassadors for the City of Pasadena helped serve the meal. Tweeties Accessories set up a booth and donated a portion of the proceeds to TBI Literacy. Darryl Douglas, the Master of Ceremonies, changed his tie seven times throughout the evening.

“Ted has a huge heart for the kids and adults too who are functionally illiterate. I came on because he was working so much and I saw the need. Ted deserves all the help he can get to help the program grow,” volunteer and board member Tony Henderson said.

T.B.I Literacy is a non-profit organization that helps individuals through tutoring program in literacy. Their objective is to help people who need attention on writing development, spelling and vocabulary usage. TBI Literacy serves students starting in first grade all the way up to senior citizens to help bring up reading levels to proficient.

“There are 3.8 Million people in Southern California alone who read below reading level. And 55 percent of people in Pasadena/Altadena read below reading level. In the year 2013 we have this huge literacy issue,” TBI Literacy founder Theodore Johnson said.

Johnson saw the need and acted upon it in his local community but eventually hopes to grow larger and serve even more people who need help with reading.

“With the city closing up all the schools, somebody’s gotta reach out and give them a helping hand,” Johnson said. “I even have a 70 year old student that comes to me every Tuesday and Thursday.”

Johnson himself was illiterate until he learned how to read at 50 years old.

“That’s why I understand the need of the young people coming up if they don’t get the basic education they’re gonna be lost in today’s time. Nowadays if you can’t use the computer you’re lost,” Johnson said.

The funds from the evening help keep TBI’s doors open as well as buying supplies for the kids like paper, books, and pencils.

“It’s a whole new world. It’s like you’ve been walking around with blinders the whole time and finally you see,” Johnson said.

“There shouldn’t be anyone who can’t read,” Henderson said.

To find out more, contact Theodore Johnson by calling (626) 791-5303.