Our History
In 1984, a group of concerned citizens in Southeast Baltimore noticed a pattern with repeat juvenile offenders that was related to their dyslexia. The group enlisted the help of the late Roger Saunders, an internationally-known psychologist in the field of dyslexia, who confirmed that the offenders were dyslexic. As a result, the group sought to demonstrate that with a small investment of time and energy, many of the challenges and effects of dyslexia could be resolved, and pioneered the program MADAY (Maryland Associates for Dyslexic Adults and Youth).
The initial goals of the program were to steer these young adults away from criminal behavior and toward literacy and employability.
Using trained volunteers in the community, the program offered specialized tutoring—consisting of at least 60 hours on a one-on-one basis—to improve the skills, self-esteem, and behavior of dyslexic youth. From this pilot program, MADAY was incorporated, and in 1985, became an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit agency serving dyslexic children and adults of all ages in Baltimore and surrounding counties, free of charge.
In March of 2000, in order to reflect more accurately the mission and purpose of the program, the Board of Directors passed a resolution to change the name of our organization to Dyslexia Tutoring Program.