"The home is the child's first school,
the parent is the child's first teacher,
and reading is the child's first subject."




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Dear Friends,

Thank you for visiting the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy website.

Since our Foundation’s launch over 20 years ago, we have awarded over $37 million to support the development and expansion of 850 family literacy programs in all 50 states including the District of Columbia. And, many of our programs have continued their important work with money from other sources long after our Foundation’s one-year grant has finished.

Family literacy programs are so important!  The staff, teachers and volunteers at these programs help parents and their children learn and read together, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to thrive in all aspects of their lives.
Thanks to the support of our generous donors and the excellent work of literacy providers across the United States, our Foundation has truly been able to help make a meaningful difference in countless lives. However, there are still millions of adults in the United States who do not have the literacy skills they need. And so, we will continue support family literacy programs across America.

I encourage you to help!  You can volunteer at a local literacy program, or mentor a child.  Together we can all work to ensure that literacy is a value in every American home. 

Warmly,

Foundation Announcements

  • 2010 First Lady's Family Literacy Initiative for Texas Grant Recipients Announced

    The First Lady's Family Literacy Initiative for Texas has awarded $500,000 in new grants to support family literacy programs across the State of Texas.  Read the press release and learn about this year's grantees.

  • 2010 Maine Grant Program

    The Maine Family Literacy Initiative (MEFLI) has awarded a total of $380,000 to 22 communities in Maine.  Please read the press release to learn more.

  • 2011 National Grant Program Application Guidelines Now Available

    Download the application form and guidelines/instructions HERE.

  • 2010 Maryland Grant Program

    The Maryland Initiative has awarded almost $470,000 in new grants to support family literacy programs across the State of Maryland.  Read the press release and learn about this year's grantees HERE

  • 2010 National Grant Program Recipients Announced

    The Foundation has awarded more than $575,000 in 9 new grants supporting the development and expansion of family literacy programs in eight states.
    For more information, read a complete listing of all 2010 recipients HERE

Latest News

  • CVN77 to put on the first Celebration of Reading at Sea

    Doro Bush Koch, founder of The Maryland Initiative of the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy partnered the Foundation with the USS George H. W. Bush CVN77 to put on the first Celebration of Reading at Sea on May 1, 2010.

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  • The Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy partnered with HITS Theater and KIPP SHINE Prep

    In preparation of the 2010 Houston Celebration of Reading, The Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy partnered with HITS Theater and KIPP SHINE Prep in the "Magic of Reading" essay writing contest.

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  • 2010-2011 Barbara Bush Fellows Announcement

    The Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy is proud to announce the 2010-2011 Barbara Bush Fellows at The Texas Center for the Advancement of Literacy and Learning (TCALL) at Texas A&M University.

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Upcoming Events

  • Celebration of Reading Houston 2011

    The 2011 Celebration of Reading Houston has been scheduled for Thursday, April 28, 2011. Our first confirmed author is Scott Turow.  Stay tuned for more author announcements coming soon!

  • Celebration of Reading Maryland 2011

    The next Celebration of Reading Maryland will be held on Tuesday, May 17, 2011. Our first confirmed author is Wes Moore.  Author announcements to come soon!