Empowering Families Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation

Literacy levels are inextricably linked to nearly every community metric including income, education, crime, health, economic vitality, civic engagement, generational poverty, and more. Yet, 2 in 5 schoolchildren do not read on grade level and 1 in 3 adults in greater Houston are functionally illiterate. That is why our work the past 10 years has been important and why our continued effort to make Houston a city filled with readers is imperative. Through our investments in interventions and out-of-school literacy programs, striving readers receive the extra support and tools they need to become proficient readers by the end of the third grade. — Navaeh, Monahan Elementary School First Grader & My Home Library Recipient By expanding access to family literacy programs and resources, parents are empowered with the knowledge and tools to become confident and competent facilitators of their child’s early literacy development.

— Jose & Yolanda Lira, Farias Early Childhood Center Parents HOUSTON – The Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation, Harris County Public Library, and Houston Public Library are uniting to host Family Literacy Day on Saturday, June 7, commemorating the late First Lady Barbara Bush’s... Library branches across the city and county invite families of all ages to celebrate this special occasion and promote the joy of reading together. Barbara Bush pioneered a literacy movement across America and believed that learning how to read, write, and comprehend was a fundamental human right. Using her platform as U.S. First Lady, she placed her cause of literacy at the forefront of our nation’s priorities, advocating it to be an economic, social, and moral imperative.

She was a staunch supporter of family literacy, promoting reading and learning together. She believed that parents are their child’s first teachers and that reading together strengthened bonds and enriched families. “Mrs. Bush was a lifelong advocate for family literacy and believed that libraries were more than just places to access books,” said Julie Finck, Ph.D., President and CEO of the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation. “Since Mrs. Bush’s passing in 2018, the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation has invested in the creation of more than 40 Family Place Libraries in branches across the Harris County and Houston Public Library systems.

It is only fitting that we celebrate her 100th birthday by doing something that was of the utmost importance to her – championing literacy, strengthening families, and lifelong learning.” On June 7, families can enjoy interactive story times, arts and crafts, and other special literacy-focused activities, including a special Barbara Bush-themed coloring page. There will also be resources available for parents to support literacy at home. All activities are free and open to the public. “We are delighted to join forces with our longstanding partner, the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation, to honor Mrs. Bush’s legacy on this special occasion,” said Edward Melton, Harris County Public Library Director.

“We are fortunate to have the Barbara Bush Branch Library located in Cypress, Texas, which will be a focal point in our system on Family Literacy Day and to have built a fleet of... New Texas A&M Collaboration Addresses National Literacy Challenge The College of Education and Human Development at Texas A&M University (CEHD) has joined forces with the newly launched Barbara Bush Fund for Family Literacy to strengthen family literacy programs benefiting children, parents and... The Barbara Bush Fund, housed within the George & Barbara Bush Foundation, will provide grants to high-quality organizations and work towards elevating advances in comprehensive family literacy programs nationwide. These programs focus on four interconnected components: adult education and literacy, child education and literacy, parent education and interactive literacy activities. (left to right) Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy President Andrew Roberts, George and Barbara Bush Foundation CEO Alice Yates and CEHD Dean Michael A.

de Miranda. Through this partnership, the CEHD Advanced Literacy Studies faculty and its Texas Center for the Advancement of Literacy and Learning (TCALL) will provide expertise on family and adult literacy, complementing the Fund’s grantmaking process... “Our faculty and researchers are committed to sharing their insight into advancing literacy as an opportunity for our state and beyond,” said Dr. Michael A. de Miranda, Dean of the College of Education and Human Development. “This partnership allows us to be a force multiplier in amplifying Barbara Bush’s vision and make a lasting impact on children and families nationwide.”

Want updates when Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation has new information, or want to find more organizations like Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation? © 2025 Nonprofit Metrics LLCTerms of Service and Privacy Policy It is indisputable that what happens during the earliest years of life, when the brain architecture develops most rapidly, is critical to a child’s healthy development and long-term success. Because 90% of brain development occurs by age 5, parents and caregivers play a vital role in serving as a child’s first and most important teacher. Unfortunately, Houston lacks a comprehensive system for educating, equipping and supporting families with the knowledge, skills and resources needed to ensure their child has an early and great start before entering kindergarten. That is why we have a goal of establishing George & Barbara Bush Family Places in branches across the Harris County and Houston Public Library Systems by the end of 2025.

Through this highly-effective program modeled after the national Family Place Libraries™, parents have access to interactive materials, early literacy kits, games, toys, music and multimedia resources, learning stations, and a curated collection of books. Also, parents have access to workshops during which specially trained library staff model effective practices with families and learn how to use the resources to accelerate their child’s early learning and development. Family Place Libraries have been installed since 2018 Additional Family Place Libraries will be created by the end of 2025 Barbara Bush Branch Library celebrates the grand opening of a new Family Place Library. The Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation understands the importance of family literacy, right from the very start.

In response, the Foundation created an exciting initiative called Raising a Reader which helps educate and equip parents to be their child’s first teachers. Raising a Reader parents learn about the importance of healthy brain development and early learning and receive a book and complementary resources to get them off to a strong healthy start. Hospital staff, nurses, and physicians will engage with new mothers about their important role in their child’s literacy development, and instructional videos will play in the labor and delivery rooms in the hospitals. These videos will provide information about the research surrounding healthy brain development and early learning, helpful reading tips on how parents can support their child’s growth, including bedtime bonding and rhythm of speech, and... The human brain doubles in size in the first year. It keeps growing to about 80% of adult size by age 3 and 90% – nearly full grown – by age 5.

For these reasons, the early years in life and the role moms and caregivers play as their child’s first teachers are vital to ensuring that babies get a strong and healthy start in life. Oral language is the foundation for the reading and writing skills children will develop as they enter and progress through school. The more parents read, sing, and talk with their child from birth, the more equipped they will be to learn how to read. Parents are provided with a Raising a Reader welcome bag that includes: An indestructible book to read with your child We thank you for your consideration.

Although we do not have the capacity to receive donated books, we encourage you to donate to Friends of the Houston Public Library. In a powerful intersection of health and education, students from McGovern Medical School traded lab coats for literacy bags by partnering with the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation as the selected nonprofit for a... These future physicians stepped out of the classroom and into the community, packing 4,250 literacy bags for the Raising A Reader program. These resources were distributed to families at HCA hospitals across South Texas, helping newborns begin life with the tools they need for a strong, healthy start. “I see literacy as being a source of power. It’s a way to empower the next generation of children and adults in terms of both reading and writing and the power of the spoken word and its ability to transcend time and space,”...

Morris, MD, McGovern Medical School Assistant Professor, Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine. This is more than just volunteerism; it’s a reflection of a growing understanding in medicine that literacy is a social determinant of health. By engaging with the very tools they may one day recommend to patients, like books, parent engagement strategies, and early learning resources, these students are gaining hands-on experience in holistic care. They’re not just learning how to treat illness; they’re learning how to foster wellness from day one. “Literacy is an important tool for patients because it allows them to be able to have a better understanding of what’s going on with their health. I think it’s very important for wellness as well in terms of community outreach and programs that help keep patients and families well before ending up in the hospital.” Dr.

Morris added. This collaboration represents a unique and meaningful way to bridge clinical knowledge with community impact. Perhaps one of these physicians will hand out the materials they helped pack for thousands of babies during their training, or maybe a parent will receive these same tools, exemplifying that volunteerism can create... Barbara Bush believed every adult deserves a second chance at learning how to read, write, and comprehend. A startling 1 in 3 adults in Harris County is functionally illiterate. They lack the skills needed to fully engage in the workforce, participate in society, support their families, and reach their fullest potential in life.

In 2021, the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation, in partnership with the Mayor’s Office for Adult Literacy, unveiled Houston’s Adult Literacy Blueprint, a first-ever city-wide plan aimed at empowering more adults with the literacy... As one key strategy to advance the Adult Literacy Blueprint, we created Success Through Adult Reading (STAR). The goal of STAR is to bring adult literacy to the forefront and ensure that more adults have access to the courses they need to learn English, earn a GED, acquire 21st Century digital... In partnership with an initial five community-based organizations – Adult Education Center, Neuhaus Education Center, The Alliance, Tejano Center for Community Concerns, and West Houston Assistance Ministries –STAR expands capacity in the number of...

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