GREENFIELD — Although Joseph Lubold now sits on The Literacy Project’s board of directors, he first became involved with the nonprofit as a student.

Lubold, who spent most of his career working as a machinist, lost his job during the 2008 recession, and with little to no ability to read or write, struggled to find work. He said The Literacy Project was “transformational” for him.

“When I got here, I knew this place was different. These were the teachers I thought I was going to get when I was a child, that I really loved. They had compassion, they were invested in you, they listened to you and basically would do anything for you,” Lubold said. “If it was 10 o’clock at night or midnight ... your teacher would find a way to help you. As I started to learn more, I started to help them out.”

The Literacy Project, which offers free writing, reading and math classes for adults, was recognized with a citation from the state Legislature on Monday evening during an open house celebrating the nonprofit’s new Greenfield location at 278 Main St., Suite 202. Since its inception in 1984, The Literacy Project has provided classes to residents ages 16 and older who are seeking to advance their literacy skills and preparing to complete their high school equivalency exam (HiSET).

“I’m thrilled to be able to offer the space to folks in our community who need a pathway to education and I feel really lucky that we are here in the downtown area,” Literacy Project Executive Director Colleen Kucinski said.

Literacy Project staff gathered alongside former students and residents in the new location’s hallway as state Rep. Natalie Blais, D-Deerfield, presented Kucinski with a congratulatory certificate from the Legislature.

“The students here go through a transformation, and there is nothing that tells that story more than the individuals who speak after graduation, the individuals who tell their stories of transformation and help us understand what they have been through to get to that stage — how you all have helped them, either directly or indirectly,” Blais said. “It is so inspiring and so impactful. I’m really here to say thank you. Thank you, and of course, congratulations.”

Assistant Director Margaret Anderson said the nonprofit’s new Greenfield location, sharing space with the immigration services organization Center for New Americans, will make it easier to refer immigrant students to additional resources. The Greenfield classrooms moved from Bank Row, though The Literacy Project also offers classes in Amherst, Orange, Northampton and Ware.

“We’re noticing, together, the influx of immigrants into the Greenfield area and trying to plan for when they are moving through the English language classes and they need more basic education classes. We are preparing ourselves to receive that immigrant population,” Anderson said. “It’s amazing that we’re in the same building [as the Center for New Americans], because they can literally just come downstairs and meet us, know who they are, who we are, and know that they’ll be comfortable in this space and that they’ll be welcomed.”

With two classrooms, Anderson said the new space will accommodate two different class levels being taught simultaneously. Since the adult education program is entirely voluntary, class sizes tend to alternate depending on the economy and the demand for employment credentials among adults, she added.

“People opt in to upgrading their education when it’s important to them. So the whole premise of adult education is that we are here for them when they are choosing us. As the economy changes, that really shifts, so when people are needing to upgrade their education, we see more people,” Anderson said. “When jobs are easier to come by and wages are high for entry-level jobs, we see fewer people.”

Anthony Cammalleri can be reached at acammalleri@recorder.com or 413-930-4429.