The Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy presents, A Celebration of Reading!

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

As Second Lady of the United States and then, as First Lady of the United States, Barbara Bush selected the promotion of literacy as her cause.  Beginning with Martha Washington, who promoted the cause of Revolutionary War Veterans, there is a longstanding tradition of First Ladies taking on a cause that is dear to their hearts and promoting it throughout their husbands’ presidencies.  Our current First Lady, Michelle Obama, continues this tradition by promoting her Lets Move campaign, which hopes to solve the epidemic of childhood obesity within a generation. 

As a literacy advocate, Former First Lady Barbara Bush has traveled throughout the country raising awareness and much needed funds to ensure that all Americans have access to the American Dream via literacy.  After seeing first hand the impact that literacy has on a family’s well being, she established The Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy.  “The mission of her foundation is to support the development of family literacy programs, to break the intergenerational cycle of illiteracy, and establish literacy as a value in every American family.”  Through its National Grant Program, the foundation has donated over 40 million dollars to literacy organizations throughout the country. 

During the year, the foundation hosts numerous fundraisers called “A Celebration of Reading.”  November 7, marks the tenth anniversary of the Dallas, Texas, Celebration of Reading.  These events are major fundraisers that feature readings by authors and appearances by notable politicians and celebrities.  If you are interested in working with the foundation or if you are an organization that would like to receive funds from the foundation, I encourage you to checkout the foundation website: http://www.barbarabushfoundation.com/site/c.jhLSK2PALmF/b.4344531/k.BD31/Home.htm

I look forward to participating in the 2012 Maryland Celebration of Reading! Best,

Ciji Dodds

Miss International 2011