Reading Is Fundamental

As I get older there are fewer and fewer thingsgave away 16 million free books to 4.5 million
that bring out my inner activist. But last week Ichildren!
found one. A very simple little news item:Now, the Bush administration has decided to
Bush's '09 Budget Eliminates RIF Fundingeliminate RIF's funding! Evidently it is more
President Bush's proposed 2009 budget eliminatesimportant to rebuild Iraq, bail out corporations and
all the funding for Reading Is Fundamental's bookbuild Bridges to Nowhere than it is to promote
distribution program that has, since 1966, providedliteracy here at home.
more than 325 million books to more than 30Incredibly, this is the second time that this
million underprivileged children.President who has made a bid deal about leaving
That got me mad -- like in mad enough to dono child behind, has attempted to cut funding for
something! Mad enough to talk about it toRIF. The first time (in 2001) there was such a
everyone I know. Mad enough to write mypublic outcry that the administration finally backed
Congressperson and Senators. Mad enough todown.
write Margaret Spilling at the US Department ofThis story becomes even more curious when you
education. Mad enough to write both Barbara andconsider that Barbara Bush served on RIF's board
Laura Bush. Mad enough to write about it here.of directors from 1980 to 1988 and then on its
Reading is Fundamental is an awesome program!national advisory board from 1989 to 1992 . Add
It is the oldest and largest nonprofit children'sto that the fact that Laura Bush served on RIF's
literacy program in the world. Their mission is tonational advisory council from 1996 to 2001.
motivate kids to read. An important part of theIt's time for a huge public outcry! PLEASE go to
program is providing books for children to explore,the RIF site and voice your opinion.
read and keep.The site provides links to find your senator and
The program was started in 1966 by Margaretrepresentative and gives you information about
McNamara. While her husband was busy messinghow to send an e-mail message to them. Join me
up the Vietnam War at the Defense Departmentand thousands of others in making our voices
she volunteered to tutor a group of Washingtonheard! Write to Barbara and Laura for good
D.C. children in reading. One day she took a bag ofmeasure! But hurry, there is not a lot of time
used books with her. At the end of the sessionbecause the appropriation committee will be
she told each of the children that they could pickmeeting in May and June to decide on budgets.
a book and keep it. The kids were thrilled. TheseOh yeah, I should mention that this item even
children (an most of their classmates) had nevermade me mad enough to actually make a
owned a book!donation to RIF. This is an organization that
Margaret McNamara was so moved by theirdeserves our support!
enthusiasm and awe that she got busy. SheThe families and children affected by this cut in
recruited her friends, raised money everywherefunding are the weakest and most vulnerable
she could and started collecting books to givemembers of our society. There aren't any
away. For the next nine years her effortslobbyists in Washington advocating for them! They
created a program that gave away books tohave little voice or power and they need for us
children in the Washington D.C. public schoolto speak up. To give them a voice.
system.So get busy -- write, call, spread the word,
In 1975 the US Congress passed a bill thatdonate. Let's make sure that kids get the chance
provided matching funds to RIF. Congress hasto have free books to explore, read and keep!
continued to fund the organization for the last 33Let's make the outcry so loud that we can't be
years in a row. Reading is Fundamental nowignored!
serves children and families in every state, districtThank you for your support!
and territory of the US. In 2007 the program