Blog Posts

We’re Grateful You’re Part of Our Village

By Alicia Levi

We are all familiar with the saying ‘it takes a village.’ As I reflect on this past year and the many ways Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) has made an impact on children’s literacy, that sentiment couldn’t be truer. From classroom teachers to media specialists, school leaders to community leaders, parents, grandparents and caregivers, community volunteers and donors; RIF’s village of literacy advocates is nationwide. Our community of liked-minded reading champions, committed to children’s literacy, makes a difference every day. In communities across the nation, RIF was able to activate our village to help bring books, literacy resources and the joy of reading to children all year long.

This laser focus on supporting our nation’s young readers has never been more critical, as evidenced by the recent National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reading performance results. As I shared in a recent blog post, children in every community in our village were negatively impacted as a result of the pandemic. Reading scores nationwide went down to levels we haven’t seen in 30 years. While progress has been lost, RIF remains committed to a future where every child reads and will continue to support the nation’s academic recovery and student achievement through our work to engage and motivate children around reading.

As we gather around holiday tables and share what we are most grateful for this season, I want to offer my heartfelt gratitude for all who make our work possible. Each and every one of you are part of our village, impacting children nationwide with the life-changing power of reading. With your support this year, RIF delivered impact through books and literacy resources to over 33 million children in all 50 states, inspiring this generation to read, learn, and grow. Thank you for helping us to shape readers and the leaders of tomorrow.

On behalf of Reading Is Fundamental, our Board of Directors, and the children we serve, thank you for being part of our village and happy holidays!

Alicia Levi
President & CEO