Barbara Bush Fund For Family Literacy

Leo Migdal

-Dec 5, 2025, 10:46 PM

We use cookies to bring you the best website experience possible. Learn More All the things I worry about in life would be better if more people could read, write, and comprehend. Throughout 2025 we are honoring the 100th anniversary of our founder’s birth through the Barbara Bush Centennial. Featuring special events across the country and the launch of new programmatic initiatives, this yearlong celebration honors Barbara Bush’s legacy of literacy. We were joined by New York Times bestselling authors Claire Lombardo, Dani Shapiro, and Chris Whitaker as part of a three-day series of events honoring Barbara Bush’s 100th birthday in Kennebunkport.

The Foundation has partnered with Jane Win, celebrated creator of meaningful coin jewelry and charms, on a limited-edition collection in honor of Barbara Bush’s Centennial. The Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy Board of Directors and the Bush family made a strategic decision to return to its original mission: operating primarily as a national grantmaking organization. As a result, the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy will soon evolve into the Barbara Bush Fund for Family Literacy at the George & Barbara Bush Foundation.The George & Barbara Bush Foundation is... Mrs. Bush’s commitment to literacy took root in 1978, when she realized that everything she worried about in life—from poverty to addiction to crime—could improve if more people could read, write, and comprehend. When her husband became Vice President, Mrs.

Bush took the opportunity to explore her passion and began the groundwork for what would become the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy on a national scale.As First Lady, Mrs. Bush brought literacy to the attention of our country, calling it “the most important issue we have.” Mrs. Bush launched the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy on March 6, 1989, to support parents with unmet literacy needs so they could learn alongside their young children. The National Literacy Act was signed by President George H.W. Bush on July 25, 1991, offering millions of adults in the United States the opportunity and resources necessary to return to education and earn their high school diplomas.For more than three decades, the Barbara... The Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy is a non-profit organization, headquartered in Washington D.C., supporting literacy as fundamental to the success of both families and the U.S.

economy. The foundation promotes access to resources to build a stronger, more equitable America through literacy.[1] The organization co-sponsored the Adult Literacy XPRIZE and produces a "Gap Map" literacy data mapping tool, the National Celebration... During Barbara Bush's time as second lady, while her husband was Vice President of the United States, she took an interest in literacy issues. She had previously coached her son, Neil, in reading, who was later diagnosed with dyslexia, and believed in family-based approaches to reverse illiteracy trends.[2] Barbara Bush was also inspired by a literacy conference in... The conference hosted Loretta Lynn and other notable people, and after the night was over, Barbara Bush, wanted to create a foundation that would "break the intergenerational cycle of illiteracy."[3] She subsequently began working... Fred entitled C.

Fred's Story, and donated all proceeds to literacy charities.[4] When her husband became president her most public cause was family literacy. She called it "the most important issue we have".[5] Six weeks after her husband's inauguration, on March 6, 1989, she announced the establishment of the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy, during a White... Bush's Story Time, a national radio program that stressed the importance of reading aloud to children;[7] some of the program's content is also included in the foundation's podcast by the same name, launched in... Barbara Bush became involved with literacy organizations, served on literacy committees and chaired reading organizations, and helped develop the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy.[10] Some funding came from a book, credited to the... The book reached #1 on The New York Times bestseller nonfiction list,[11] earning $1.1 Million of royalties to July 1991.[12] All of the after-tax royalties were donated to the foundation.[13]

When the Bush Family left the White House in 1993, she continued her work of family literacy. By its 30th anniversary, the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy had been described by CNN as "the nation's leading advocate for family literacy for more than three decades", which had helped raise over... New fund will address America's literacy crisis by providing direct grant support for community-based family literacy programs nationwide WASHINGTON, Nov. 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The George & Barbara Bush Foundation is pleased to announce the launch of the Barbara Bush Fund for Family Literacy, a new initiative that will provide grant support to high-quality... The launch of the Fund was formally announced on Wednesday, November 5, 2025, during a reception at Texas A&M University's Bush School for Government & Public Service in Washington, D.C.

"Barbara Bush knew that literacy is the foundation upon which we build full, productive lives – as individuals, as families, as communities and as a nation – and she spent decades working to open... "Yet far too many parents and children still lack the literacy skills they need to thrive, and family literacy programs nationwide are in urgent need of support. We believe she would challenge us, in this moment, to do more, and we are proud to answer that call by opening the next chapter in her enduring legacy of literacy." Today, more than half of U.S. adults read below the equivalent of a sixth-grade level, impacting their ability to earn family-sustaining wages and support their children's learning. Young readers are struggling as well: 69% of fourth graders lack proficiency in literacy, making them more likely to struggle academically, drop out of school and have reduced earning potential as adults.

This crisis is linked to some of today's most pressing challenges, including multigenerational cycles of poverty, poor health, low educational attainment and workforce readiness deficits. Former First Lady Barbara Bush chose literacy as her cause more than 40 years ago based on her belief that "if more people could read, write and comprehend, we would be that much closer... After more than 35 years, the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy, the nonprofit established by the former first lady that has raised and provided more than $130 million in support to literacy programs... But, Mrs. Bush’s literacy mission continues. The announcement was made Wednesday evening during a reception at Texas A&M University’s Bush School for Government & Public Service in Washington, D.C., where Alice Gonzalez Yates, CEO of the George & Barbara Bush...

Subscribe to East Wing Magazine to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives. The George & Barbara Bush Foundation recently launched a significant initiative aimed at tackling literacy issues in America. The Barbara Bush Fund for Family Literacy represents a commitment to enhancing literacy programs that serve families nationwide. This endeavor was officially announced during a special event held at Texas A&M University's Bush School for Government & Public Service. With a vision rooted in the belief that literacy is essential for productivity at an individual, familial, and community level, the fund seeks to provide direct grant support to community-based family literacy programs across... As Alice Gonzalez Yates, the CEO of the foundation, highlighted, there's a pressing need to address the literacy skills gap faced by parents and children alike.

Many individuals are missing the crucial literacy skills required to succeed and thrive in today’s complex world. Statistics indicate that over fifty percent of adults in the United States read below a sixth-grade level, significantly hindering their earning potential and their ability to support their children’s education. Alarmingly, 69% of fourth graders do not possess the necessary literacy proficiency, which poses risks of academic struggle and lower future income. This literacy crisis is intertwined with wider issues, such as poverty cycles and educational deficits. For over four decades, Barbara Bush dedicated herself to the cause of literacy. She believed that increased literacy could help resolve many societal issues.

In 1989, she established the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy, which remains active in promoting literacy. The new Barbara Bush Fund continues this legacy by not only supporting existing programs but also expanding outreach efforts. Over the years, the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy has made a remarkable impact, raising over $130 million for literacy programs across the United States. The establishment of the new fund signifies the foundation's intent to carry forward the mission of advancing literacy and addressing contemporary literacy challenges faced by families. WASHINGTON, D.C. – November 6, 2025 – The George & Barbara Bush Foundation is pleased to announce the launch of the Barbara Bush Fund for Family Literacy, a new initiative that will provide grant support to...

The launch of the Fund was formally announced on Wednesday, November 5, 2025, during a reception at Texas A&M University’s Bush School for Government & Public Service in Washington, D.C.“Barbara Bush knew that literacy... “Yet far too many parents and children still lack the literacy skills they need to thrive, and family literacy programs nationwide are in urgent need of support. We believe she would challenge us, in this moment, to do more, and we are proud to answer that call by opening the next chapter in her enduring legacy of literacy.”Today, more than half... adults read below the equivalent of a sixth-grade level, impacting their ability to earn family-sustaining wages and support their children’s learning. Young readers are struggling as well: 69% of fourth graders lack proficiency in literacy, making them more likely to struggle academically, drop out of school and have reduced earning potential as adults. This crisis is linked to some of today’s most pressing challenges, including multigenerational cycles of poverty, poor health, low educational attainment and workforce readiness deficits.Former First Lady Barbara Bush chose literacy as her cause...

Over the past 36 years, the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy has raised and provided more than $130 million in support for national family literacy programming spanning all 50 states and the District... The establishment of the new Fund will bring the work of the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy to a close, while carrying forward its mission and advancing Barbara Bush’s vision of a more... “We see the launch of this new Fund as the natural next step in the evolution of the work that she cared about so deeply – one that will allow for even broader reach... The Fund will support comprehensive family literacy programming by providing grants to fuel the delivery of effective programming and engaging in thought leadership to elevate family literacy at the state and national levels. To celebrate the establishment of the Fund, George & Barbara Bush Foundation CEO Alice Gonzalez Yates announced the recipients of three grants: First Teachers Family Literacy Program in Biddeford, Maine; Briya Public Charter School... Michael Levine, Senior Advisor for Kapor Center and Barbara Bush Foundation board vice chair; and Andrew Roberts, president of the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy.

“I am thrilled to be a part of this wonderful initiative and deeply grateful for the support,” Ibarra said. “I have witnessed firsthand the transformative power of family literacy and the impact it can have on multiple generations. As a former literacy student, I can attest how my life and the lives of my children were forever changed thanks to the vision Mrs. Barbara Bush had for our country.”The George & Barbara Bush Foundation will draw on the expertise of a robust network of national family literacy experts to design the grantmaking process for the Fund and... Bush, primarily by supporting and promoting education and service-oriented programs at the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library & Museum and The Bush School of Government & Public Service at Texas A&M University, as well as administering the Barbara Bush Fund for Family Literacy.

The Foundation creates unique and life-changing opportunities that bring together and connect world leaders, students, public policy experts, business executives and current officeholders. Learn more at www.georgeandbarbarabush.org. We use cookies to bring you the best website experience possible. Learn More Our calling is to improve lives through literacy. We are dedicated to expanding access to literacy services for adults nationwide because we believe in the uniquely transformative power of literacy.

The ability to read, write, and comprehend brings dignity to daily life and equal opportunity to fulfill one’s greatest potential. Improved literacy rates have the power to strengthen our economy by boosting labor productivity, cutting billions of dollars in healthcare costs, and breaking the cycle of poverty for families in need. And we need involvement from businesses, educators, philanthropists, influencers, technology experts, advocates, and policymakers to join our efforts to make literacy a reality for every American. Our values are reflected in our mission statement: The Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy is committed to building a stronger, more equitable America through literacy. We envision an America in which all adults have the opportunity to read, write, and comprehend in order to navigate the world with dignity. Together, we can give people access to opportunities that will create change today and for generations to come.

Barbara Bush Fund For Family Literacy

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