A Celebration of Reading 2021 Line-Up

Dear Houston Community:

Although the pandemic vastly disrupted our events and programs last year, we were not deterred from remaining focused on advancing our mission of improving lives through the power of literacy. After all, Barbara Bush would have expected nothing less!

Below are just a few highlights of what was accomplished during 2020 through your loyal and generous support:

Approximately 1,100 children received nearly 24,000 hours of individualized or small group tutoring through University of Houston’s Cougar Literacy Corps program under the Third Ward Schools Initiative. More than 14,000 children attending Title I schools received home libraries of six books each through our My Home Library program, and an additional 110,000 new books were distributed to economically disadvantaged children during events held in the wake of the pandemic outbreak and transition to at-home learning. Approximately 5,100 children were served through the Curiosity Cruiser mobile libraries, a partnership between Ladies for Literacy Guild and Harris County Public Library. Hundreds of families and classrooms viewed the more than 175 children’s book read aloud videos contributed by volunteers in support of the #WeRead initiative. More than 600 elementary children participated in a week-long virtual summer learning program, called Camp Adventure! hosted in partnership with Children’s Museum of Houston and HISD. An estimated 325 families participated in a series of Read and Rise™ workshops led by our partner, Houston Area Urban League, to acquire the skills and resources to support their child’s early literacy development.

We are proud of these and our many other accomplishments and look forward to an even better 2021 with your continued commitment and engagement.

With Heartfelt Gratitude,

Julie Baker Finck, Ph.D. President

A Celebration of Reading 2021 Line-Up We are pleased to announce an expanded, stellar line-up of bestselling authors and vocal arsts for our signature event, A Celebraon of Reading: George W. Bush, featuring his upcoming book, Out of Many, One: Portraits of America’s Immigrantsset to release on April 20; Mark Sullivan, featuring his upcoming book, The Last Green Valley, set to release on May 4; and Peter Baker, to discuss his most recent book, The Man Who Ran Washington: The Life and Times of James A. Baker, II.IIn addion, Houston-area naves and ﬁnalists on Season 19 of NBC’s The Voice, Desz and John Holiday, will perform together in the finale.

The 27th annual A Celebraon of Readingw ill take place on Thursday, April 29 as a hybrid event, allowing sponsors to experience the program with limited audience in The Post Oak Hotel Ballroom or enjoy the program via livestream in the comfort of their homes. KPRC Channel 2 will also produce an edited version of the program to be broadcast in early May.

We are deeply grateful to our loyal, generous donors who connue to advance our important mission in the Houston community through their support of A Celebraon of Reading. We invite you to sponsor our signature event and be a part of our connued eﬀort to ensure more children and adults in our community have an opportunity to realize their fullest potenal in life through the power of learning how to read.

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EVENTS

You're Invited: A Celebration of Reading 2021 Upcoming Virtual Author Chats

What if America had a royal family? Katharine McGee, a native Houstonian and New York Times bestselling author of The Thousandth Floor trilogy and American Royals series, will give us an inside look into the intriguing lives of the American royals.

Please join us Thursday, February 25 from 6-7 pm for a lively virtual author chat, hosted by the Young Professionals Group and Ladies for Literacy Guild.

Texas Titans is a story of George Herbert Save the Date! Join New York Times bestselling Walker Bush and James Addison Baker, III, two author Kristin Hannah for an exciting virtual of America's most consequential statesmen of chat as Kristin discusses her latest novel, The the past fifty years. Two men who became — Four Winds. and still are — Texas titans. Please join us virtually April 27 from 6-7 pm for Please virtually join us Thursday, March 11 an evening with Kristin Hannah. from 6-7 pm for a lively author chat. Registration details coming soon.

FOUNDATION WITHIN THE COMMUNITY

Joint Initiative Launched to Give Adults a Second Chance

Mayor Sylvester Turner and Foundation Chairman Neil Bush held a joint press conference on January 26 to announce a special initiative between the Mayor’s Office for Adult Literacy (MOAL) and the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation to develop an Adult Literacy Blueprint for the city.

During the next three months, MOAL and the Foundation, alongside experts from Deloitte Consulting, will engage dozens of cross-sector stakeholders from across our city through a series of focus groups and interviews to craft a first of its kind, strategic and coordinated plan to ensure that more adults in our community receive a second chance in life through the development of strong basic, language, and digital literacy skills, as well as essential workforce skills. The Adult Literacy Blueprint will also build upon the special report, called Houston’s Literacy Crisis: A Blueprint for Community Action, released by the Foundation in 2014.

"With one in three Houstonians functionally illiterate, the combined efforts of the Mayor's Office for Adult Literacy and the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation are essential to achieve transformational change in the lives of adults who cannot read," said Mayor Sylvester Turner.

Special thanks to EOG Resources, Greater Houston Community Foundation and Phillips 66 for joining us in funding the development of the Adult Literacy Blueprint.

Foundation Welcomes Two New Members to Prestigious Board of Directors We are pleased to announce the appointment of Tony Canales, President and General Manager of Telemundo Houston, and The Honorable Rodney Ellis, Harris County Commissioner, to our Board of Directors.

Tony Canales has served as the President and General Manager of Telemundo 47 Houston / KTMD, the NBCUniversal-owned television station that serves Spanish-language viewers in the Houston market, since 2012. Prior to joining Telemundo, Canales served as Vice President and General Manager for the Azteca America Houston affiliate, KYAZ, from 2010 to 2012. Canales formerly served on the Foundation’s Corporate Advisory Council.

The Honorable Rodney Ellis is the Harris County Commissioner for Precinct 1. Prior to becoming the County Commissioner in 2017, Ellis served three terms on the Houston City Council before he was elected to the Texas Senate in 1990, where he represented Texas’ 13th state senate district for 26 years. Born and raised in Houston’s Sunnyside neighborhood, Ellis has dedicated more than 30 years as an American politician and has played a critical role in Texas legislature.

“These two highly-respected leaders are bright points of light in our community who exemplify a commitment of serving others and making Houston a vibrant place to live, work and thrive” said Neil Bush. “Their visionary leadership, experse and passion for changing lives will, undoubtedly, broaden, strengthen and deepen the impact of the Foundation.”

Meet Our Board

Grant from PNC Foundation to Expand Family Place Libraries™ Initiative

Thousands of families and their young children will soon have increased access to specialized programs and resources thanks to a generous grant from PNC Foundation to transform areas within the McGovern-Stella Link and Alice McKean Young Neighborhood Libraries of the Houston Public Library System into Family Place Libraries™. This effort supports the shared vision of the Foundation and the Houston Public Library system to ensure libraries remain focal points for learning within the Houston community.

Not only will this donation establish a physical Family Place Libraries™ presence, but it will also enable the staff at each community library to receive specialized training and expand programs specifically focused on toddlers and their caregivers. These specially designed spaces will feature a welcoming area complete with interactive early literacy materials, such as developmental games and toys and of course, books.

Foundation Celebrates Black History Month with Champions Read! Event

The Foundation is teaming up with Share the Magic Foundation, Houston Independent School District (HISD), HISD Foundation, KPMG Family for Literacy and Phillips 66 for a special event, called Champions Read! to commemorate Black History Month. The celebration is a collaboration with NFL Super Bowl Champion, literacy advocate and children’s author, Malcom Mitchell. Malcolm is the author of two books and creator of a youth literacy initiative, called Read with Malcolm, through his nonprofit, Share the Magic Foundation.

On February 11, Malcom will virtually join approximately 400 second graders across seven Third Ward elementary schools for a special read aloud of his most recent book, My Very Favorite Book in the Whole Wide World. In addition, more than 1,250 kindergarten, first and second graders will receive a bundle of four books, and their teachers will be provided a collection of children’s books all written by Black authors and featuring Black characters to inspire and enjoy at home and in the classroom.

FOUNDATION AUXILIARY GROUPS

Ladies for Literacy Guild “Marching” Forward in Support of Literacy

On February 18, the Ladies for Literacy Guild, a volunteer auxiliary group of the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation, will host its Annual Membership Meeting for members. During the meeting, members will hear about accomplishments from 2020 and learn of upcoming events. In addition, the Guild will elect officers and announce committee chairs to serve on the 2021 Executive Committee. A number of activities have been slated for next month to ensure the Guild “marches” forward without missing a step in support of our literacy cause.

Specifically, March is National Read Aloud Month and a time when our Ladies for Literacy Guild raises awareness about this very important message: Reading aloud is one of the most important daily habits for families to boost childhood reading achievement levels.

On March 2, the Guild will kick-off National Read Aloud Month by celebrating Dr. Seuss’ birthday with students attending Memorial Elementary School in HISD. Students will receive Dr. Seuss books and teachers will have access to video-recorded readings of Dr. Seuss books narrated by Guild presidents of past, present, and future: Betty Hrncir, Stephanie Tsuru, Donatella Benckenstein, Trish Morille, and Lisa Jakel.

Continue Reading Join Ladies for Literacy Guild

Literacy Points of Light

Volunteer Spotlight: YPG Member Michael Perkins

“We can find meaning and reward by serving some higher purpose than ourselves, a shining purpose, the illumination of a thousand points of light.” ― George H.W. Bush

For the month of February 2021, the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation recognizes Michael Perkins, a dedicated member of the Young Professionals Group (YPG), as a Literacy Point of Light. Michael’s energy and willingness to volunteer his time and talent have been catalysts to the growth and vibrancy of the YPG. Michael became involved with the Foundation a few years ago through his sister and has served as Social Co-Chair for the past few years.

Michael has also been instrumental in the launch and execution of the YPG’s Barbara’s Book Boxes initiative. The Barbara’s Book Boxes initiative of the Foundation’s YPG enables underwrite the purchase and installation of “little free libraries” in the areas of Houston that need them most. Barbara’s Book Boxes are small boxes placed in a publicly accessible locations with the intent of incorporating a “take a book, leave a book” policy among communities.

Continue Reading Learn More About YPG Corporate Literacy Point of Light: Accenture

We are pleased to highlight Accenture as 2021’s first Corporate Literacy Point of Light. Accenture is a global marketing and consulting firm that helps their clients further develop processes and technologies that innovate how their clients do business. Houston is home to one of 11 Innovation Hubs which invites clients into a collaborative space where new products and ideas are workshopped and explored.

Each year, Accenture organizes a “Season of Giving” in which employees take part in both a giving campaign and service projects in their communities. When planning got underway in September 2020, it was clear that a conventional day of service was not feasible amid the Coronavirus; therefore, Accenture pivoted their 2020 Day of Service to be completely virtual.