HANA Volunteer Ellen Brouwer Receives Spotlight on Service Award
Springfield, IL — On May 7, 2026, one of HANA’s dedicated volunteers, Ellen Brouwer, received the Spotlight on Service Award, which are presented by the State Library each year to adult literacy volunteer tutors who have shown great dedication to helping adult learners reach their reading goals. This award is a wonderful reflection of Ellen’s commitment and the meaningful impact she has made through her work with HANA’s tutoring program.
Ellen has called the Chicagoland area home for most of her life, but her curiosity has always stretched far beyond Chicago. With a lifelong love of learning about other cultures, countries, and languages, she pursued French and Spanish. In doing so, she gained a deeply personal understanding of learning a new language: "I know firsthand what it's like to be searching for a word, or struggling to express myself in another language," she reflects. "It can be quite frustrating!" That empathy became the foundation for her volunteer work.
Ellen began volunteering with HANA Center in spring 2025, joining the Adult Volunteer Literacy Program as a one-on-one ESL tutor. She enjoyed the experience and took on a second tutee not long after. "I found it very rewarding and wanted to provide additional support," she says. "They are both great, and I learn from them as well."
For Ellen, the Spotlight on Service recognition goes beyond a personal milestone: "I'm very honored to win the award for my ESL volunteering. Knowing the language where you live is a privilege, especially a challenging language like English. And so it's extremely important to help people who aren't as privileged. I am also very happy HANA is getting recognition for the great services they offer. HANA provides so many ways for community members and volunteers to easily get involved."
Pablo Giesberg Fierros, HANA’s Education and Outreach Coordinator, speaks to the lasting mark Ellen has made: "Ellen has served in HANA Center's Adult Volunteer Literacy Program for more than a year and has left an indelible impact on the program. Having tutored two students, including one of our very own staff members at HANA Center, she has provided invaluable feedback throughout her tutor tenure, including recommending materials later added to the program-wide Tutoring Curriculum."
HANA's VOCAL AmeriCorps Member, Kin Ribeiro adds: "Although Ellen works with different students, she doesn't take a one-size-fits-all approach and instead caters her teaching to her students' individual goals, learning preferences, and needs. I admire her dedication to adult literacy and her respectful approach that always puts the learner first. We are so fortunate to have her in our program and excited for an opportunity to recognize her work."
Volunteers like Ellen are the heart of what we do at HANA Center. Her dedication and empathy embody the spirit of service that drives our work.
Are you inspired to get involved? Learn more about Volunteer opportunities at HANA Center.