The Adult Literacy Center at the Des Moines Area Community College Urban Campus, which offers all adults free resources that help with reading, writing and speaking skills, is seeing an uptick in the number of people seeking its services. “Last year, the Adult Literacy Center at DMACC served more than 200 adults in the Des Moines area, and we expect that number to grow in 2022,” Vickie Merrifield, coordinator of the Adult Literacy Center, said in a news release. “One in six adults in Polk County struggle with reading, and 43 million U.S. adults read, write and do basic math at or below a third-grade level. Volunteers at the center spend 60 to 90 minutes working one-on-one with a student each week. New volunteers are asked to attend a training session with the center’s staff. Two training sessions are scheduled for Thursday, June 9, from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 4 to 5:30 p.m. To RSVP to one of the sessions, email Merrifield at vlmerrifield@dmacc.edu or call 515-248-7517. The Adult Literacy Center launched nearly 50 years ago as a partnership between DMACC and Drake University. It is currently funded with grants from the United Way of Central Iowa and the Dollar General Literacy Foundation, with additional support from DMACC.