A book in the hand is worth two in the...actually, it's priceless.

Congress has put tax dollars where the National Endowment for the Arts’ mouth is. It recommended level funding for the federal literacy program Reading is Fundamental, Inc. (RIF) that provides free books to underserved children.

That means we got a grant! It will put 3,753 free books in the hands of 913 babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers in Madison County who may be at-risk of failing in school due to poverty, a disability or some other factor.

Last November the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) published a report on reading habits of youth that revealed “recent declines in voluntary reading and test scores alike, exposing trends that have severe consequences for American society,” according to its web site.

Yikes! We want to make sure that the little kids in our programs grow up reading and learn to love it. Grants from RIF and TheBANK of Edwardsville (who provided the required local match of $1,784) allow us to do that.

Family reading events for our kids and their parents will be planned throughout the year, some in partnership with the nearest public library. Designed to encourage parents to read to their kids at home, the events include a warm, nutritious meal served family–style, a guest reader, a craft centered on a children’s book, and culminate with each child choosing a free book to take home and keep courtesy of RIF.

Founded in 1966, RIF is the oldest and largest children and family nonprofit literacy organization in the United States. RIF’s highest priority is reaching underserved children from birth to age eight. Through community volunteers in every state and U.S. territory, such as Macy’s department stores, RIF provides 4.5 million children with 16 million new, free books and literacy resources each year.

All RIF programs combine three essential elements to foster children's literacy: reading motivation, family and community involvement, and the excitement of choosing free books to keep.

This is the ninth year Riverbend Head Start & Family Services has received a RIF grant.