CONCLUSION

Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County partners recognize that choosing the toll-free hotline, a relatively uncontroversial initiative, as their first collaborative effort made early success possible and paved the way for the Coalition's expansion. As one partner put it, "Find something everybody can agree on. Make it a success and go from there. It's important to find your early success." Another partner elaborated, "The secret to our success has been 'I'm here to serve the cause of literacy' [not my own personal agenda].... Put business in the leadership, not the [literacy] providers, because the providers are going to be here forever. Put business and media right at the front. This gets them talking, rather than providers just talking to themselves." By providing comprehensive coordination for all aspects of literacy services in Palm Beach County, the Coalition unites the community around the cause of literacy and connects adult learners with help that can change their lives.