Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy

Results: For more than 25 years, this public charity has benefited thousands of families in America by supporting community classrooms where parents and their precious children learn and achieve together. The Barbara Bush Foundation has sponsored 1,500 family literacy programs in 50 states. We’re building a compassionate movement where we engage the public to be a part of the solution: with over 36 million adults in this country either illiterate or possessing extremely low reading skills – illiteracy IS America's Biggest Challenge. We believe literacy is a right that provides equal opportunity to achieving the American dream, which every child deserves. If we help the nation’s children get on the path to learning in the earliest years, even before they enter kindergarten, they are far more likely to succeed in school and life. We also believe in investing in low-literate parents who are unable to provide the stimulating learning environment that young children need to jumpstart their education. We help families understand: – The child’s first school is the home. – The parent is the child’s first teacher. – The child’s first subject is reading. The Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy is focused on fulfilling its mission by providing low-income families across the nation with scholarships to learn together. We partner with a network of high-performing local family literacy programs that help both young children and their parents learn how to read and write. When families share a love of reading, children have a far greater chance to live more productive and healthier lives, graduate from high school and obtain a better job. Supporting family literacy programs is a win-win for parents and children where they acquire basic literacy skills that help them advance their education and provide greater opportunities to succeed.

Target demographics: Children and Families

Direct beneficiaries per year: 3,700 children and families

Geographic areas served: United States

Programs: Family Literacy programs that teach children and their parents to read and learn together. The Teen Trendsetters (TM) program pairs Middle School/High School student mentors with low-performing 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade students who are at least six months behind in reading.