RIF is a wonderful program and is a great partnership for libraries. Please do take 60 seconds to contact your Congressional members to ask that they support RIF and not cut funding. I've personally volunteered for RIF and donated funds to RIF. There is nothing like the joy in a child's face when they get to select a book to keep for their own.
Jeanette Larson Austin, TX --- Suzan Nyfeler <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > RIF Funding Cut > > --from www.publishersweekly.com/enewsletter > > > > Last month, President Bush submitted a proposed > budget for fiscal year 2009, > which eliminated funding for Reading Is > Fundamental's book distribution > program. Through the program, the organization > distributed 16 million free > books to 4.6 million children across the country > last year. More than 30,000 > messages have since been sent to Congress urging the > reinstatement of a > budget of $26 million for the organization's > distribution program. To date > 19 senators and 67 state representatives have signed > a Dear Colleague letter > in support of the organization. RIF is also in > contact with local > coordinators who are working to spread awareness, > particularly in districts > where representatives have not yet signed their > support. In July, the > winners of RIF's 2008 Program Excellence Honors will > visit their > Congressional members on Capitol Hill to speak to > the effects of the > program's elimination. Additional information is > available at the RIF > <http://email.publishersweekly.com/cgi-bin2/DM/y/hA0LLIxL0A0DWym0E6> > Web > site. Congress will finalize RIF's budget this > September. -John Sellers > > > > > > Suzan Nyfeler > > Youth Services Specialist > > Central Texas Library System, Inc. > > 1005 W. 41st, Suite 100 > > Austin, Texas 78756 > > 512-583-0704, x17 > > 800-262-4431 > > <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > >
