Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy Joins Voices for Literacy

WASHINGTON, Feb. 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy is proud to announce the creation of Voices for Literacy. This newly formed collaborative brings together a coalition of five organizations that are committed to expanding opportunities for children and adults to improve their lives through literacy.

Voices for Literacy launches today with five initial founding partner organizations: the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy, the Coalition on Adult Basic Education, Digital Promise, Pi Beta Phi, and Reading is Fundamental. The goal of the collaborative is to maximize the expertise and resources of the partner organizations to amplify the national conversation on literacy. The group is committed to taking meaningful action to support and improve literacy rates in the United States, ensuring that everyone has an opportunity for education, no matter their age.

"We're proud to stand with these partners—and with others who will join us as we move forward—to speak out for literacy for all," said Liza McFadden, president and CEO of the Barbara Bush Foundation. "We believe that bringing together these organizations, which are already doing amazing work in their own rights, to speak as a unified voice will help further the conversation on literacy and effect real change."

Today, Voices for Literacy launches its first in a series of three digital social campaigns designed to identify those interested in literacy by having them "raise their hand," educate the public about the issues of low literacy and activate around literacy. The initial outreach effort, the "Leave Your Mark for Literacy" campaign, encourages people nationwide to show their support for literacy by placing a virtual bookmark on an interactive map. To participate, or to learn more about Voices for Literacy, visit www.voicesforliteracy.org.

About the Founding Partners:

The Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy is a public charity and the nation's leading advocate for family literacy, working to foster the opportunity for every man, woman and child to secure a better life through literacy. Learn more at www.BarbaraBush.org.

The Coalition on Adult Basic Education (COABE) is a nationwide organization comprised of educators, administrators, mentors and guides working to improve educational outcomes for adults and build opportunities. Learn more at www.coabe.org.

Digital Promise is a nonprofit organization committed to accelerating innovation in education to improve opportunities to learn. Learn more at www.digitalpromise.org.

Pi Beta Phi's commitment to literacy dates back more than 100 years to the founding of a Settlement School in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, and its tradition of supporting children and families through literacy service continues today through its Read > Lead > Achieve® reading initiatives. Learn more at www.pibetaphi.org.

Reading is Fundamental (RIF) is committed to a literate America by inspiring a passion for reading among all children, providing quality content to create impact, and engaging communities in the solution to give every child the fundamentals for success. As the nation's largest nonprofit organization for children's literacy, RIF has provided more than 412 million books to 40 million RIF kids, inspiring generations to read, learn and grow. Learn more at www.rif.org.

Media Contact: 
Lauren Sproull
Phone: 850.562.5300 
Email: lauren.sproull@barbarabush.org

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SOURCE Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy