Reading is Fundamental, a cause heavily promoted by Barbara Bush during her time as First Lady between 1989 and 1993. RIF (http://www.rif.org) started in 1966 as a volunteer-led effort to get more children to read, and is currently backed by several private and corporate sponsors. The goal of RIF is not only to teach every American how to read, but also to encourage more frequent reading. In 2000, the organization provided over 14 million free books through a network of over 300,000 volunteers.

The largest, most visible supporter of RIF is the Coca-Cola Company, which has pledged $18 million over three years to help the organization's efforts.


source: www.rif.org