Sharing Our Gratitude: A Thanksgiving Message from Reading Is Fundamental
In this blog post, hear from RIF’s President & CEO, Alicia Levi, with this message of gratitude to our many partners that make RIF’s work possible. For nearly six decades, RIF has been committed to supporting and empowering educators, families and children. Now more than ever, we remain committed to our vision of a nation of lifelong readers. In fact, we have a refreshed RIF.org that showcases the power of our partnerships and impact of our programs and resources to inspire a joy of reading. We invite you to explore the new site as we remain resolute that when we come together, we can change the trajectory of the nation’s literacy crisis.
And, just like that, it’s already that time of the year again.
Thanksgiving marks a point during the year where we get a chance to focus on the things we are grateful for. In a world that feels increasingly unpredictable, I feel beyond thankful for many things in my life – a loving family, a safe community to call home, and a mission worth fighting for – inspiring a joy of reading for children nationwide.
Every day I am thankful for the joy I find in reading, as well as the many doors literacy has opened for me. I believe that reading is the foundation to success, and that every child deserves the opportunity to experience the joy and opportunities reading provides. This year, RIF has had the privilege to support millions of young readers nationwide through our programs including Books For Ownership, Rally to Read, Skybrary, and more, in our mission to tackle the vast literacy gap that plagues our nation’s youth. Each smile, laugh, or look of wonder in the eyes of the children we serve happens because of the dedication of our amazing partners, volunteers, donors, and literacy advocates. Put bluntly - this is only possible because of each and every one of you in our RIF community. For that, I am beyond grateful.
Through a continued focus on driving reading joy to create engaged, motivated and frequent readers, we know we will create a nation of skilled readers, setting all children the path towards fulfilling their dreams and changing the world for the better. A world where more people can be thankful for the things we sometimes take for granted. Together, we can help spread reading joy and set off a chain reaction with the most amazing outcome.
So, as I prepare to join my family at the Thanksgiving table, I hope that you will accept my heartfelt thanks when I express my gratitude that you are a part of the RIF family. Thank YOU for your steadfast commitment to children’s literacy and for joining us in our mission to create a nation of readers!
From my family to yours, I wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving and happy holidays.
Alicia Levi President & CEO