Annual Report - Reading Is Fundamental

1825 Connecticut Ave., NW 

Suite 400 

Washington, DC 20009 

877-RIF-READ 

www.rif.org 

Annual 

Report

CONTENTS 

3 Message from Leadership 

4 2003 Year in Review 

12 Research-Based Programs 

for Children and Families 

16 RIF’s Communities 

of Literacy Partners 

20 Spotlights 

24 Leadership 

26 Supporters 

30 RIF at a Glance 

31 Summary Balance Sheets 

Reading Is Fundamental 

prepares and motivates 

children to read by 

delivering free books and 

literacy resources to 

those children and families 

who need them most.

RIF programs 

distribute more than 

16 million 

books each year 

at 25,000 locations 

across the US. 

READING IS FUNDAMENTAL 

Welcome 

W 

hen we talk about reading and children, it’s easy to get lost amid statistics and test scores and measures 

of quantitative achievement. Those are all extremely important, but they are not, and should not be, 

the whole story. It’s important not to lose sight of the fact that reading is more than a mechanical, 

measurable exercise; it’s also a journey into the human imagination, a doorway to new worlds 

and boundless possibilities. 

Reading Is Fundamental’s efforts in communities across the country are rooted in the idea that in order to ensure 

that children can read, it’s vital to ensure that they want to read. Our task should not be just to create competent readers, 

but to shape new generations of willing and eager readers. We should never forget that reading should be fun. As we strive 

to increase reading achievement, let’s always leave room for the joy of discovering new worlds and ideas, the excitement 

of unfolding mysteries, and the recognition of ourselves in a well-formed character. 

These are things that are never going to show up on test scores, but they can be written in the hearts of children who 

are given the chance to experience the magic that is reading. The best way to create lifelong readers is to make sure 

children understand that reading is about life. That cannot happen without access to books—and to caring adults 

eager to forge that special bond between children and the world of reading. That, of course, is where RIF comes in. 

The more than 16 million books RIF gives away each year are 16 million seeds planted in the imaginations of children, 

ready to be nurtured by families, caring adults, teachers, and entire communities. We know these seeds blossom 

into motivated and excited readers because RIF volunteers continually report to us the wonders our programs bring. 

A New Hampshire coordinator recently wrote to us about what she observed at RIF events: “I see children loving 

books, loving the stories in books, loving the pictures, loving the characters, and even loving the letters and words they 

see in their books.” 

A report from a Maryland volunteer states, “RIF books have made a significant difference in the lives of our students. 

Our students have become better readers, are more interested in the authors or certain types of stories. Their parents 

are noticing how special books have become in their child’s lives and are sharing information with teachers.” And a Kansas 

coordinator, after speaking with a parent about possibly giving prizes for meeting reading goals, wrote “the child told 

his mother and myself that he wasn’t interested in getting prizes for reading, he read because it was fun.” 

As we as a nation continue to address the issue of literacy in our schools, our homes, and our communities, we should 

never forget that a lifelong bond to books is made not only through instruction, but also through the personal connections 

we make to the inherent joy of reading. That idea is at the heart of everything we do. RIF is proud of its efforts to ensure 

that we never forget that reading is both fundamental and fun. This annual report describes what we have done during 

the past year to make that happen, but it cannot tell us what we have really achieved. You’ll have to ask a RIF kid whose 

face is buried in a book to find that out. 

Bruce A. Quinnell Carol H. Rasco 

CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD PRESIDENT AND CEO 

2003 ANNUAL REPORT 

3

2003 

Year in 

Review 

READING IS FUNDAMENTAL motivates children to become lifelong 

readers. This happens in countless little ways every year. 

4 In 2003, 5 million children and their families selected more than 16 million books through 

5 

Riffington and Ms. Frizzle, of Scholastic’s The 

RIF programs to keep and read. Each time, a small step was taken to create a lifelong reader. 

Center Head Start (Lonoke, Ark.) the small-site Magic School Bus series, were featured on posters, 

The following are some of the other highlights for RIF in 2003. 

Poster Contest Winner Creates a Buzz 

If bees could talk, what would they say? According 

to 10-year-old Idalia Viard of Far Rockaway, N.Y., 

the honey-making insects would tell everyone to 

“Read with a Friend.” Inspired by the 2003 RIF 

National Poster Contest’s theme, “Together We 

Read,” Idalia created a colorful scene with two bees 

reading together on a flower. The poster won her 

top honors in the competition, sponsored by Nestlé 

USA. An independent panel of judges selected 

Idalia’s work from among 650 national entries. 

More than 100,000 students participated in local 

RIF poster contests nationwide. 


In January 2003, RIF and 

Nestlé hosted a celebration 

in Idalia’s honor at the 

Children’s Museum of 

Manhattan in New York 

City. Idalia accepted her 

award surrounded by 70 of 

her classmates, RIF coordinator 

Joan Flig, art teacher 

Jennifer Woerter, School 

District 27 Superintendent 

Matthew Bromme, RIF 

President Carol Rasco, and 

Rita Henderson of Nestlé. 

2003 National Poster Contest winner Idalia Viard poses 

with the Nestlé Nesquik Bunny and Riffington at an awards 

ceremony in New York City. 

RIF Challenges Sites 

to Engage Communities 

Over 1,100 RIF sites rallied their 

communities around reading for two 

weeks in January and February as they 

participated in Read with Me: The 2003 

RIF Community Reading Challenge, 

sponsored by MetLife Foundation. 

During the Challenge, 360,000 children 

read independently and invited community 

members and families to read with them. The sites 

that spent the most time reading and found the most 

creative ways to engage their communities in literacy 

activities were named challenge champions. 

RIF selected two national champions (a large site— 

serving over 350 children—and a small site) as well 

as large- and small-site state champions. In March 

2003, RIF named Lonoke Child Development 

national champion and Juan Linn Math and Science 

Magnet School (Victoria, Texas) the large-site 

national champion. 

In April, RIF hosted an award ceremony for each 

national champion in their home town. RIF and 

MetLife officials presented each school with a Margaret 

McNamara Readers Cup, $500 to purchase books, a 

national champion banner, and other commemorative 

prizes. Representatives from each winning site traveled 

to Washington, D.C., in May to be recognized. 

RIF Tackles Summer Learning Loss 

Studies show that children lose essential reading 

and math skills every summer. The effects of this 

learning loss can be significantly reduced if kids 

keep reading and learning all summer long. That’s 

why RIF teamed up with Verizon and Scholastic 

Inc. in 2003 to launch the Summer Reading Journey 

Scholastic’s Ms. Frizzle and The Magic School Bus 

appeared on materials for a RIF summer reading campaign 

sponsored by Verizon. 

campaign. Together they delivered summer reading 

messages and resources to 200 selected public 

libraries across the country. 

bookmarks, and other materials sent to each library. 

Their message reminded children to keep reading 

during the summer months and encouraged families 

to take a trip to their local library to discover the 

exciting world of reading. Each participating library 

also received books from The Magic School Bus 

series to add to its children’s section. 

RIF Named “Innovation of the Week” 

The U.S. Department of Education’s Office 

of Innovation and Improvement (OII) named 

Reading Is Fundamental its choice for “Innovation 

of the Week” during the week of May 25, 2003. 

The OII makes strategic investments in promising 

educational practices through grants to states, 

schools, and community organizations. It also 

leads the movement for greater parental options 

and information in education. 

2003 ANNUAL REPORT

6 


Thank you for the 

free book. I really 

appreciate it. I am 

learning English since 

I recently came to the 

United States and it 

is nice to have a new 

book of my own. 

Goran – RIF Kid, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 

In recognizing RIF as an innovation, the OII 

website states, “We sometimes forget that established 

programs were once innovations. Reading Is 

Fundamental is such a program. Founded in 

1966, the practices it has fostered for over 

35 years have been proven by the latest 

scientific reading research.” To read more 

about OII, visit www.ed.gov/offices/OII. 

New RIF Website Meets 

the Needs of Multiple Audiences 

With the exponential growth of online communications, 

supporting RIF programs has become 

more challenging than ever. RIF coordinators, 

parents, and educators all want varying kinds 

of information in one place. To meet the demand, 

RIF completed a year-long effort to reorganize, 

redesign, and rejuvenate RIF’s website. Now the 

entire RIF family and greater literacy community 

can rely on the new website to help motivate the 

young readers in their lives. www.rif.org delivers 

customized information to RIF coordinators, 

research-based 

literacy resources 

to educators, 

motivational 

tips and advice to parents, and interactive games 

and activities to children. 

A few of the popular new features include: 

www.rif.org 

Password-protected guides, forms, 

and material for coordinators 

Animated read-along stories 

A searchable literacy activity database 

Printable tips and brochures for families 

Interviews with children’s book authors 

and illustrators 

Interactive Reading Planet Club for kids 

Themed booklists 

The revised website received immediate positive 

response with recognition from such periodicals 

as USA Today and School Library Journal. 

Stars Illuminate Read to Achieve 

at NBA All-Star 2003 

RIF joined the NBA, their longtime partner, 

and celebrity entertainers to highlight 

the importance of reading at the 2003 NBA 

All-Star extravaganza in Atlanta. 

For one weekend in February, dozens of celebrity 

athletes, actors, authors, and singers contributed their 

time and talents to support Read to Achieve (RTA), 

the NBA’s league-wide literacy initiative. The NBA 

All-Star weekend was comprised of a series of highprofile 

events including a star-studded concert and 

reading rally for school children, celebrity read-alouds 

at the Jam Session sports festival, and the opening 

of two learning centers in Atlanta. 

As a national partner of RTA, RIF 

helped to generate 

excitement and raise 

awareness about 

reading among fans 

of all ages. Riffington, 

RIF’s fun and furry 

mascot, sported his own 

basketball jersey and made 

“I was just playing around on 

the computer the other day when 

I thought that I would type in ‘Reading 

is Fun.’ I went to your website 

and Bam!!! We were hooked.” 

From Greg, “A really happy dad” 


7

a lot of new friends as he handed out a special 

RIF/RTA CD-ROM chock full of reading games, 

puzzles, and a Riffington screensaver. The RIF/ 

Coca-Cola StoryTraveler also made a stop at 

the event, entertaining kids with a puppet show. 

RIF Benefit 

Squeezing yet another fundraising event in to their 

packed calendars isn’t easy for busy Washingtonians. 

But promise that they and their children can attend 

an event together and meet Clifford the Big Red 

Dog, the Wild Thing, and Amelia Bedelia, and 

they will come. 

Building on RIF’s philosophy that encourages 

families to enjoy reading together, RIF’s annual 

benefit on September 12 attracted 400 adults and 

children to the Corcoran Gallery of Art to celebrate 

reading and to raise funds for RIF. Special guest 

8 9 

Judith Viorst and her son—the original Alexander— of interactive art and reading 

compiled into a book, along with the work 

read from her classic, “Alexander and the Terrible, 

Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day,” and a local 

author/illustrator team, Cheryl and Peter Barnes, 

shared some of their favorite stories from their 

book about a White House mouse. Also attending 

RIF’s Art of Reading were Washington, D.C., 

Mayor Anthony Williams and several children’s 

book illustrators. 

Thanks to an extraordinary 

committee chaired by Alexandra 

Armstrong and her co-vice 

chairs, Lynda Johnson Robb 

and Jack Remondi, the event 

raised $220,000 for RIF 

activities nationwide. 


Author Judith Viorst (Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, 

No Good, Very Bad Day) greets a young fan at the RIF 

fundraising gala. Above the photo is a monkey from 

the Henry Cole–illustrated book Naughty Little Monkeys, 

images from which were used to promote the event. 

Art Comes Alive 

at the 2003 RIF 

National Reading 

Celebration 

Reading Is Fundamental filled 

the Corcoran Gallery of Art with 

books, reading, and prominent 

children’s illustrators in September. 

The Washington, D.C., gallery 

hosted more than 20,000 children 

and adults for the 2003 RIF 

National Reading Celebration: 

The Art of Reading. It was a day 

activities, lectures, book signings, 

and a traditional RIF book distribution—all to create 

awareness about the importance of reading and to 

focus on the role of illustration in children’s literature. 

One of the highlights of the day was the Public 

Studio, where 23 of the most renowned children’s 

illustrators in the country—many of them Caldecott 

Medal winners and honorees— 

worked on illustrations in full 

view of the visiting public. 

Children and parents were given 

a rare glimpse into the process 

of creating art for children’s 

literature. Each illustrator was 

asked to “reimagine” a scene 

from a favorite children’s book. 

The illustrations will be 

Author/illustrator Vera B. Williams works 

on a scene from Ruth Sawyer’s Roller Skates 

at the RIF National Reading Celebration. 

In a wing of the Corcoran Gallery 

of Art, author/illustrator Ashley 

Bryan regales a group of children 

with elaborate storytelling. 

of additional illustrators, to be published in 2006 

to commemorate RIF’s 40th anniversary. 

Several participating illustrators 

also visited RIF programs in the 

Washington, D.C., and Baltimore, 

Md. areas. They shared with the 

children how they became artists, talked 

about where they get their ideas, and 

explained how books are created. 

RIF’s 2003 National Reading Celebration 

was generously sponsored by Nestlé USA, 

with additional support from the 

Catherine B. Reynolds Foundation 

and the Borders Group. 

Participating illustrators were: 

Dick Bruna 

Ashley Bryan 

Lynne Cherry 

Henry Cole 

Bryan Collier 

Pat Cummings 

David Diaz 

Richard Egielski 

Lois Ehlert 

Carmen Lomas Garza 

Yumi Heo 

William Joyce 

David Kirk 

Nina Laden 

Christopher Myers 

Patricia Polacco 

Chris Raschka 

Robert Sabuda 

Brian Selznick 

Mark Teague 

David Wiesner 

Vera B. Williams 

Paul O. Zelinsky 

Caldecott Medal winner David Wiesner 

“reimagines” Arthur C. Clarke’s 2001: A Space 

Odyssey in front of curious spectators.

10 


RIF programs 

serve children 

and families in all 

50 states, 

the District 

of Columbia, 

and U.S. 

territories. 

RIFNet Continues to Promote 

Reading through Technology 

For the fourth year, the RIF-led consortium 

called RIFNet produced video programming 

and Web-based content to help RIF 

coordinators and other educators promote 

reading. RIFNet continued to develop 

RIF Exchange and launched the Gateways 

to Early Literacy series in 2003. 

RIF Exchange 

The televised series RIF Exchange produced seven 

new half-hour programs on topics ranging from 

promoting summer reading to reaching kids with 

special needs. Each episode was broadcast via satellite 

and cable television, and videotapes of the shows were 

sent to every RIF program. Resources to supplement 

the episodes were made available on RIF’s website. 

New Series for Daycare Providers 

Gateways to Early Literacy, a series of four 

half-hour videos, was developed to help family 

childcare providers enrich and support children’s 

early language and literacy development. 

Each video features nationally recognized early 

childhood educators and literacy experts who highlight 

aspects of quality family childcare that support 

children’s early literacy development. The programs 

depict literacy-rich environments with scenes from 

a variety of family childcare sites. Interviews with 

the providers illustrate and explain the ways in which 

they promote children’s literacy development. 

RIFNet is a distance-learning service funded 

by a Star Schools grant from the U.S. Department 

of Education. RIF is the lead partner in this 

collaborative effort with the Connecticut-based 

Area Cooperative Educational Services, the 

American Association of Educational Service 

Agencies, and Phoebus Communications. 

Mary Lopez Named 

RIF Volunteer of the Year 

When Mary Lopez, the 2003 Anne Richardson 

RIF Volunteer of the Year, asks for a favor from 

people in her community, they always respond by 

going above and beyond her request. When Lopez 

asked the manager of Galaxy Theater to donate 

punch for a RIF event, she received it in a silver 

fountain, along with bags of popcorn and candy, 

and trays of cookies. “Mary expects the best of 

everyone, as she gives her best in everything she 

does,” says coworker Marisa Moya. 

Serving as the RIF Coordinator and Projects 

Director for the Riverbank (Calif.) Unified School 

District, Lopez has brought the necessary support 

to change the community’s attitude toward education. 

“We cannot let other people do things for us. 

We have to be very proactive if we want the world 

to be a better place for our children,” says Lopez. 

The award includes a $500 grant for professional 

development, $500 to purchase books for her 

program, and a one-year appointment to RIF’s 

National Advisory Council. 

In November, Lopez was honored at a reception 

in Washington, D.C., with five regional Volunteers 

of the Year: Pam Powell (Ypsilanti, Mich.); Donna 

Teresa (Salinas, Calif.); Vonda Stevens (Bristol, 

Tenn.); Charlotte Eldredge (St. Louis, Mo.); 

and Lorrie Wolverton (West Oneonta, N.Y.). 

This annual award honors extraordinary RIF 

volunteers across the country, and pays tribute 

to the late Anne Hazard Richardson, who served 

as RIF’s chair from 1981 to 1996. 


11

12 

Research-Based Programs 

for Children and Families 

Reading Is Fundamental programs carry out the mission of motivating children 

to read so they will continue to do so throughout their lives. RIF programs typically 

promote literacy by employing three proven strategies: 

Promoting book ownership by providing new, 

free books to children and their families. 

Developing creative motivational reading 

activities and other literacy resources 

to foster a lifelong love of reading. 

Involving families and communities 

in their children’s literacy development. 


RIF has several programs 

tailored to meet the needs 

of specific audiences, 

including: 

The National Book Program 

Through its flagship National Book Program (NBP), 

RIF reaches 5.1 million children annually with free 

books to choose and keep, along with other literacy 

resources for children and families. It is in all 50 

states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories. 

In 2003, RIF programs distributed more than 16.5 

million books. Supported by a grant from the U.S. 

Department of Education, the NBP gives children 

the opportunity to choose and keep two to five 

books per year at no cost to them or their families. 

The program targets children and communities 

most in need of additional support for literacy 

development, as defined by the National Literacy 

Act of 1991. In addition, volunteers motivate 

children to read with myriad festive book activities 

that accompany each book event. RIF headquarters 

provides training and technical assistance to enable 

volunteer program coordinators at each site to recruit 

and train additional volunteers. 

Care to Read 

Care to Read trains childcare workers in centers 

and other childcare programs to support children’s 

literacy skills in the critical early years. Workshops 

educate caregivers on early childhood development 

and provide resources, such as lending libraries 

and videos, that help those caregivers create literacyrich 

environments in their programs and encourage 

parents to do the same at home. 

Club RIF 

Modeled after a program created by RIF coordinator 

Pat Heck in Mesa, Ariz., Club RIF brings teens, 

children, and their local communities together 

around books and literacy activities. Under the 

supervision of an adult advisor, teen club members 

serve as mentors for the younger children. They 

share books, reading motivation activities, and 

their enthusiasm with children in the community. 

Following pilot programs in 2002 in Minneapolis, 

Minn. and Newark, N.J., RIF staff analyzed the 

evaluation information gathered during the pilot, 

made plans for program improvement and revision, 

and wrote funding proposals in hopes of expanding 

the program’s implementation in the near future. 

Family of Readers 

Guided by a program advisor, parents learn the 

role of “first teacher” in their children’s literacy 

development through this family reading program. 

Many of the parents, who adopt some responsibilities 

of running the program, participate in parenting 

classes, Adult Basic Education (ABE), General 

Educational Development (GED), or English 

as a Second Language (ESL) programs. Parents 

also learn about children’s books, select and order 

books, recruit other parents, design and conduct 

reading motivation activities, and plan festive book 

distributions. Children select books for ownership 

and participate in fun motivational activities designed 

to encourage them to develop a lifelong love of books 

and reading. Also part of this program are lending 

libraries, which enhance parent involvement in readaloud 

activities and provide children and families 

access to high-quality books. 

Running Start 

Through this program, early readers get a “running 

start” toward a lifelong love of books and reading. 

First graders meet an 8- to 10-week reading 

challenge to read 21 books and chart their progress 

toward a long-term goal. The program involves 

the children’s schools, their families, and the entire 

community in kickoff and recognition celebrations, 

which foster collaboration and raise public awareness 

of the importance of reading. 


13

14 


Reading is 

how I got all the way to 

sixth grade because the 

knowledge 

of books will make 

you smart. 

Megan – RIF Kid, Eden, North Carolina 

Shared Beginnings 

RIF developed Shared Beginnings as a family literacy 

component for programs that offer other services 

to young parents, particularly those in their teens. 

It shows how talking, singing, playing, storytelling 

and other fun activities build and support young 

children’s emerging literacy skills, which helps 

prepare children for classroom reading instruction. 

The program builds supportive relationships among 

young parents and instills in them the confidence 

to be their children’s “first teachers.” 

Atlanta City of Readers 

For the third year, RIF conducted the Atlanta City 

of Readers program, made possible by a $737,000 

grant from the Prudential Foundation. Providing 

literacy resources through RIF volunteers, the 

program reaches children from birth through high 

school in Atlanta public schools, libraries, community 

centers, Head Start, Even Start, and childcare 

centers. Using a comprehensive approach to promoting 

literacy, the initiative serves children of all ages 

through five RIF programs: National Book Program, 

Books on the Menu, Family of Readers, Running 

Start, and Shared Beginnings. Many Prudential 

employees volunteer for RIF through this initiative, 

an effort that has helped set the standard for other 

citywide programs. 

RIF’s Delaware Initiative 

Because of the success of the five-year (1997-2002) 

Delaware Initiative, RIF cultivated support to 

extend it. During the 2003–2004 school year, 

approximately 9,000 first graders in Delaware 

public schools participated in RIF’s Running 

Start program. Children from across the state read 

more than 190,000 books to meet the challenge. 

Each participating child received at least two 

books for personal ownership and took part in fun, 

motivational activities that helped encouraged 

them to become a lifelong reader. As many as 

1,800 volunteers worked in the schools, serving 

more than 3,000 hours as reading models, and 

helped further build the relationship between 

schools and the community. 


15

16 

RIF’s Community of Literacy Partners 

Through the support of corporate and foundation partners, RIF carries the message 

that “Reading Is Fundamental” to the widest possible audience nationwide. The following 

partners, some previously mentioned, are fueled by seemingly endless creativity and 

commitment and allow RIF to reach millions of children and families each year with 

innovative literacy resources. 

Nestlé USA 

In 2003, Nestlé USA contributed more than 

$1 million to RIF. In addition to again funding 

the RIF National Poster Contest, Nestlé partnered 

with RIF for Nestlé’s Very Best in Youth, a program 

that recognizes outstanding youth involved in philanthropic 

activities. Nestlé also contributed generously 

to The Art of Reading, RIF’s 2003 National Reading 

Celebration, which highlighted the role of illustration 

and art in children’s literature. And as it has for the 

past 10 years, Nestlé again sponsored RIF programs 

in Nestlé communities throughout the nation, 

helping thousands of kids experience the joys of 

book ownership, and participate in activities that 

celebrate reading. 

This very special RIF partner has also encouraged 

its employees to support the cause of literacy and has 

generously matched their contributions. According 

to Rita Henderson, educational programs manager, 

“Nestlé is committed to encouraging our employees’ 

contributions to charitable organizations through 

our annual Community Care Campaign. Our 

annual campaign also gives us the opportunity 

to highlight Nestlé’s primary philanthropic outreach—education 

and literacy—and make our 

employees aware of our commitment to Reading 

Is Fundamental and our Nestlé Adopt-A-School 

program.” For more than 10 years, Nestlé employees 

have supported local RIF programs at more than 


30 schools across the country through their financial 

contributions and volunteering activities. 

Toys “R” Us Children’s Fund 

The Toys “R” Us Children’s Fund has been 

a supporter of RIF since 1994. The Fund is committed 

to supporting community programs that 

nurture and enhance the lives of children. Building 

on this giving tradition, the Fund has developed 

Reading Ready: Preparing Children To Be Lifelong 

Readers, an early childhood education program that 

helps young children, newborn to age 5, develop 

their preliteracy skills. We are extremely grateful 

to the Toys “R” Us Fund for its 2003 grant of 

$750,000 for our Family of Readers program as part 

of its Reading Ready initiative. Michael Goldstein, 

chairman and director of the Toys “R” Us Children’s 

Fund as well as an active member of RIF’s Board 

of Directors, says, “We are delighted to partner 

with Reading Is Fundamental to further its Family 

of Readers program. This is a really unique fit for 

the goals of our organization since we believe that 

parents are their children’s first teachers, and our 

top priority is to make sure that at-risk children 

enter kindergarten ready to read, ready to learn, 

and ready to achieve.” 

MetLife Foundation 

The MetLife Foundation has contributed generously 

to RIF since 1976 and has donated $250,000 

for the 2003 Community Reading Challenges. 

The numbers tell the story: more than 1,100 RIF 

sites serving 322,500 children from all 50 states 

pledged participation in the challenge. “The 

Community Reading Challenge is of great value 

on two levels: It brings volunteers into the schools, 

many of whom remain involved long after the two 

weeks are over, and it inspires children, by connecting 

them with adults who love to read,” says Sibyl 

Jacobson, president and CEO of MetLife Foundation. 

“We are pleased to partner with RIF in building 

a corps of community volunteers committed to early 

literacy and helping to create a nation of lifelong 

readers.” MetLife Foundation can truly be proud 

of its commitment to the cause of children’s literacy 

and to the difference it has made in the lives of the 

children, families, and communities that RIF serves. 

Verizon 

RIF received grants from Verizon, a long-time 

literacy champion, in the amount of $245,000 in 2003, 

to support a Summer Reading Program that reached 

more than 100,000 children at 200 public libraries. 

We were especially pleased to receive this funding 

because of the importance of promoting summer 

reading to children and their families. The project 

targeted 6- to 9-year-old children, who are in a critical 

stage of literacy development, to introduce and reinforce 

good summer reading habits at an early age. Verizon’s 

grant helped provide fun summer reading resources— 

new books, posters, bookmarks, and curriculums— 

to public libraries in underresourced urban and rural 

communities. Verizon’s other grant supported 

RIF’s participation in the Verizon Literacy Network, 

through which literacy partners share resources 

and promote the importance of reading to children. 

New York Life Foundation 

In 2003, the New York Life Foundation made 

a $210,000 grant to RIF. This grant supported several 

Family of Readers programs in the Atlanta, Dallas, 

Kansas City, Minneapolis, and San Francisco 

metropolitan areas, directly serving more than 18,000 

children and their families. “The New York Life 

Foundation is proud to support this RIF project 

because it furthers our Nurturing the Children mission 

and helps to inspire children’s interest in learning,” 

says Peter Bushyeager, president of New York Life 

Foundation. The New York Life Foundation has 

been a long-time and generous RIF supporter, 

and we are grateful for its commitment to literacy 

and to America’s children. 

GMAC-RFC 

One of RIF’s most important sources of support is 

workplace giving campaigns through which employees 

can show their commitment to RIF’s mission to 

inspire a lifelong love of reading. We are extremely 

grateful to GMAC-RFC and its employees who 

have given generously to benefit RIF programs 

in their areas. We are honored to be one of four 

featured charities highlighted during their “Share 

the Magic” workplace giving campaign. Thanks to 

employee gifts and GMAC-RFC’s corporate match, 

RIF received more than $100,000 during 2003. 

Annenberg Foundation 

In addition to its many other philanthropic interests, 

the Annenberg Foundation supports programs 

that foster children’s readiness to read, literacy in 

the early grades, parent involvement, and community 

engagement. A new funder to RIF, the Annenberg 

Foundation’s $100,000 grant in 2003 supported Family 

of Readers programs serving 8,500 children. Thanks 

to this funding from Annenberg, these at-risk 

children and their families have access to more than 

12,500 books purchased for 340 lending libraries. 


17

Since its founding 

in 1966, RIF has 

provided more than 

265 million 

books for children 

to choose and keep. 

18 


RIF AND COCA-COLA: 

A PARTNERSHIP FOR LITERACY 

The reach of RIF’s multimillion-dollar partnership 

with the Coca-Cola Company continued to spread 

to every corner of the country. Since 2001, RIF has 

worked with Coca-Cola to provide essential literacy 

services to at-risk children nationwide and to increase 

public awareness of the importance and joy of reading. 

In 2003, the partnership included: 

Classroom Collections 

The RIF/Coca-Cola project placed 450 lending libraries, 

including bookshelves and resource kits, at 130 RIF 

sites in 2003. The sites continue to conduct events 

with local Coca-Cola representatives. RIF staff continues 

to assist the Classroom Collection recipients in their 

efforts to better serve families and children and to foster 

their relationships with local bottlers. 

Local Champions 

This element of the partnership encourages Coca- 

Cola bottlers across the country to become reading 

champions in their communities. The bottlers foster 

partnerships with local RIF programs and work together 

to plan events for the children that feature books, 

fun, and community involvement. More than 100,000 

books were distributed through this program. 

RIF Reading Planet 

Coca-Cola has supported the continuous development 

of the kids section of RIF’s website. In 2003, RIF 

relaunched the Reading Planet with a more kid-friendly, 

colorful, and easy-to-use design. Now, RIF’s loveable 

spokes-creature, Riffington, guides children through 

a reading-themed planet with four new sections to 

explore. Children can review books in the Book Zone, 

print out activities from the Activity Lab, play reading 

and writing games in the Game Station, and share 

opinions in the Express Yourself section. 

Ingenuity Grants 

Ingenuity Grants of up to $50,000 provide support 

for creative literacy initiatives of multisite RIF programs 

in a variety of formats and settings. In an effort to 

develop integrated community support for literacy 

projects, RIF programs are encouraged to partner 

with agencies such as libraries, community groups, 

and colleges. A total of 13 innovative RIF programs 

were awarded grants in 2003. Some of these include: 

Clackamas County Head Start 

(Oregon City, Ore.) is preparing at-risk preschool children 

for a successful transition to kindergarten. Teams of educators 

and high school students visit the apartment complexes 

where the children reside to share reading activities and 

coach parents on how to be their child’s first teacher. 

Children identified as the most in need of academic support 

are bused to a local elementary school three days a week 

to gain exposure to letters, numbers, and books. 

RIF of Southern California 

(Los Angeles, Calif.) operates a program at the WIC 

(Women, Infants, and Children) center to communicate 

to families, specifically Hispanic families, the importance 

of early childhood literacy. Trained volunteers read interactive 

stories, engage children in projects, and work with parents 

to encourage literacy activities at home. The families also 

meet weekly with college students in the EPIC (Educational 

Participation in Communities) program to pursue personal 

goals for their children, including developing school readiness 

tools for their home. 

Discovery Depot Children’s Museum 

(Galesburg, Ill.) has selected 30 families of children in local 

RIF programs to participate in a yearlong journey, Reading 

the Rails around Galesburg. Each month, families receive 

a ticket for two literacy events, a preexisting community 

event, and a special literacy event that provides them 

with a book and literacy-related activities. 

RIF of Northern Virginia 

(Arlington, Va.) has created a book club to motivate 

the academically at-risk population in its middle schools. 

The project aims to enhance the literacy skills of 150 

students by offering participants free books, author visits, 

and opportunities to discuss what they read with their peers. 


19

20 

The impact of RIF SPOTLIGHTS 

programs is felt 

in communities 

across the country. It is 

felt when a Virginia middle 

school student hears a RIF 

volunteer read a Ray Bradbury 

short story, and then selects 

Fahrenheit 451 at the book distribution immediately 

following. It is felt when a father in a RIF Family of 

Readers program run in an Idaho correctional facility reads a copy 

of Margaret Wise Brown’s Big Red Barn to his two young children 

to celebrate his release. And it is felt when a RIF coordinator in 

Michigan receives an email from a student 25 years later to thank 

her for giving him a copy of Mathematics for Pleasure, spurring his 

love of reading and math. He’s now an electrical engineer and still 

has the book. The communities served by the three RIF programs 

profiled in the following pages feel the impact as well. 

SPOTLIGHT 

Reading and Rocking 

in Bridgeport, Connecticut 

Bridgeport RIF is a perfect example of how RIF works best when a whole 

community rallies around the cause. Serving the entire K-8 population in this urban 

community on Long Island Sound, Bridgeport RIF enjoys tremendous support 

from Mayor John Fabrizi (a frequent RIF day reader!), School Superintendent 

Sonia Diaz Salcedo, and tremendous numbers of parents and community volunteers. 

Run in 33 schools, the program serves more than 18,000 students across the city. 

Like many urban school districts, Bridgeport serves a large at-risk population, including 

95 percent of the students qualifying for free and reduced lunch and more than 60 native 

languages being spoken by the students. Broadening reading opportunities and 

increasing literacy skills is a priority. To that end, Superintendent Salcedo launched 

a reading initiative called Bridgeport Rocks because Bridgeport Reads. “The RIF program 

enhances the superintendent’s initiative because it promotes home reading and building 

home libraries,” says RIF Coordinator Ann Wright. “The superintendent is definitely 

an advocate of the RIF program!” 

Many schools reach out to the community for guest readers, 

and storytellers help RIF to kick off districtwide celebrations. 

Some groups include the Bridgeport Parent Center, the 

Bluefish minor league baseball team, Sacred Heart University, 

and the Bridgeport plant of Sikorsky Aircraft—all of which 

supply volunteers for many events. Ann Wright also hosts 

districtwide parent workshops to stress the importance 

of reading with children, often using RIFNet videos and the RIF 

website in presentations. 


21

22 

SPOTLIGHT 

“I can see it in their eyes”: Bringing 

Books to a Texas Border Town 

In 1981, Enrique Montalvo was looking for a way to increase 

the literacy resources for his rural Texas school district. 

The migrant community he served in Eagle Pass could 

not visit local libraries during the summer months due 

to their mobile lifestyle. He learned that a RIF program 

would allow him to bring books to these children and, 

except for a brief hiatus in the mid-1990s, Montalvo 

has been doing just that ever since. 

The Eagle Pass ISD Title I Migrant RIF program now 

serves 2,494 migrant children in 25 sites around the school 

district. Over the years, the resources they offer to their sites 

have expanded well beyond just distributing books. Now book 

events are called Family Literacy nights where families and 

communities come out in force to support literacy in their community. 

Here the message “literacy brings wellness and unity to families” is the focus, 

and a legion of local business people, senior citizens, teachers, librarians, community 

leaders, and no fewer that 126 parent volunteers take part in their creative themed events. 

This community serves a population that is 97 percent Hispanic and provides ESL classes 

to adult English learners to bring children closer to their families. 

This program’s strength lies in the support and participation of the greater Eagle Pass 

community that sits on the Rio Grande. What Montalvo initiated 23 years ago is now 

a flourishing program where this migrant community is making RIF a part of its tradition. 

As for whether his program has an impact, Montalvo says the proof is apparent. “I can 

see it in their eyes,” he says. 


SPOTLIGHT 

Families Reading Across Idaho 

P 

romoting the benefits of reading to families in rural Idaho has its challenges. 

Sara Hill coordinates a Family of Readers program from Lewiston, Idaho, as 

part of the Lewis-Clark State College Family Education Program. The program’s 

eight sites are scattered around the region in libraries and schools in low-income 

communities. Some families live an hour’s drive from their sites. Dropout rates are high 

in these communities and some homes don’t even have running water or electricity. 

Two of the sites are prisons where all materials are scanned for contraband, even the 

children’s books. 

Still, for the past fours years Hill has worked to brings RIF’s literacy resources to 400 

children, ages 0-18, and their parents. Lending libraries are set up in the family waiting 

rooms and incarcerated fathers are encouraged to use literacy to bond with their children. 

At one facility, the parents are offered a one-month parenting course, which allows them 

to select a book and develop their own read-aloud skills and activity ideas using that book. 

With many parents not having a high school diploma, they are encouraged to “stop the 

cycle” by learning about emergent literacy and the importance of reading at home. 

Hill makes her program’s book events into true occasions including 

carnivals, local baseball team visits, and potluck dinners involving 

parents and children. She attributes the program’s success to 

the strong involvement of parents and the many organizations 

they partner with, from Head Start programs to local doctors’ 

offices. Hill notes that the impact is lasting. “Parents tell 

us all the time, ‘You know, I am still having to read that 

book picked from last year,’” she says. 


23

24 

Leadership 

BOARD OF DIRECTORS* 

Executive Committee 

Bruce A. Quinnell 

CHAIRMAN 

Arthur H. White 

VICE CHAIRMAN 

Vice Chairman 

Yankelovich Partners 

Lloyd J. Derrickson 

SECRETARY 

President and CEO 

Dyad Pharmaceutical Corp. 

John F. (Jack) Remondi 

TREASURER 

Executive Vice President, Finance 

SLM Corporation (Sallie Mae) 

Robert S. Diamond 

CHAIRMAN, NOMINATING COMMITTEE 

Senior Consultant 

Michael Goldstein 

CHAIRMAN, DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE 

Chairman and Director 

Toys “R” Us Children’s Fund 

Carol H. Rasco 


Reading Is Fundamental, Inc. 


Board Members 

Alexandra Armstrong 

Chairman 

Armstrong, MacIntyre & Severns, Inc. 

Jon E. Barfield 

Chairman and CEO 

General Counsel 

The Bartech Group 

Loretta Barrett 

President 

Loretta Barrett Books, Inc. 

Fred J. Brinkman 

Retired Senior Partner 

Arthur Andersen & Co. 

Christopher Cerf 

Founding Partner 

Sirius Thinking, Ltd. 

Robert W. Coy, Jr. 

Senior Vice President 

St. Louis Regional Chamber 

& Growth Association 

James C. Curvey 

Vice Chairman 

Fidelity Investments 

Lon R. Greenberg 

CHAIRMAN, INVESTMENT COMMITTEE 

Chairman, President & CEO 

UGI Corporation 

Tami Heim 

President 

Borders Group, Inc. 

Claude A. Mayberry 

Founder and CEO 

Science Weekly, Inc. 

Richard J. Pinola 


Right Management Consultants, Inc. 

Lois Dickson Rice 

Guest Scholar 

The Brookings Institution 

Annette Rickel 

Education Program Office 

Rockefeller Brothers Fund 

Lynda Johnson Robb 

CHAIRMAN EMERITA 

Women’s and Children’s Advocate 

Harold T. Shapiro 

President Emeritus 

University of Michigan 

Princeton University 

Vivian B. Shapiro 

Professor Emerita 

University of Michigan 

Steve Smith 

Guard 

San Antonio Spurs 

Cam Starrett 

Executive Vice President 

Nestlé USA, Inc. 

* Current as of October 1, 2003 

NATIONAL 

ADVISORY COUNCIL* 

Susan B. Bayh 

Former First Lady of Indiana, Educator, Reporter 

Ruth Frankel Boorstin 

Author, Editor, Poet 

Marie Dutton Brown 

President 

Marie Brown Associates 

Justin T. Chang 

President 

Texas Pacific Group 

Annette Dwyer 

Principal 

AMF Dwyer Consulting 

Laura Ensler 

Director 

Early Head Start Center 

Mary Zeiler Haft 

Children’s Education and Health Advocate 

Juwan A. Howard 

Forward 

Denver Nuggets 

Elizabeth (Betty) J. Hudson 

Senior Vice President, Communications 

National Geographic Society 

Jane Huey 

National Volunteer of the Year 2002 

RIF of St. Louis 

Dorothy E. Jenkins 


Children’s Educational Foundation 

William “Chip” Madsen 

National Volunteer of the Year 2001 

RIF of Newark, N.J. 

Sara E. Meléndez 

Professor, Nonprofit Management 

George Washington University 

School of Business & Public Management 

George Davis Meredith 

President and Creative Director 

Gianettino & Meredith 

Yolanda Nava 

Journalist, Author 

Shaquille O’Neal 

Center 

Los Angeles Lakers 

Pam K. Pfeffer 

Literary and Arts Advocate, Speaker, Author 

John E. Porter 

Partner 

Hogan & Hartson 

Daphne Craven Reese 

Teacher, Literacy Advocate, Volunteer 

Catherine E. Snow 

Professor 

Harvard Graduate School of Education 

David J. Stern 

Commissioner 

National Basketball Association 

Mary Ann Stewart 

Volunteer, Children’s and Humane 

Issues Advocate 

Alberto Vitale 

Former Chairman of the Supervisory Board 

Random House, Inc. 

Barry White 

Director, Government Performance Projects 

The Council for Excellence in Government 

George S. Wills 


Wills & Associates, Inc. 

* Current as of October 1, 2003 


25

26 

Supporters 

Reading Is Fundamental wishes to thank our 

generous donors for their support of our work. 

CORPORATIONS 

AND FOUNDATIONS 

Distinguished Benefactors 

($1,000,000 and above) 

The Coca-Cola Company 

Nestlé USA 

Honored Benefactors 

($500,000 to $999,999) 

MetLife Foundation 

Toys “R” Us Children’s Fund, Inc. 

Pacesetters 

($250,000 to $499,999) 

Verizon 

Platinum Circle 

($100,000 to $249,999) 

American Express Employees 

The Annenberg Foundation 

General Dynamics Corporation 

Kraft Foods, Inc. 

Nestlé USA Employees 

New York Life Foundation 

Gold Circle 

($50,000 to $99,999) 

Albertsons, Inc. 

American Express Financial Corporation 

ARAMARK Charitable Fund 

Avery Dennison Office Products Company 

GMAC-RFC 

GMAC-RFC Employees 

Mazda Foundation 

National Basketball Association 

Philips Electronics of North America 

The Sallie Mae Fund 

Scholastic Inc. 

UGI Utilities, Inc. 

Silver Circle 

($25,000 to $49,999) 

Borders Group, Inc. 

Burlington Northern–Santa Fe Foundation 

Catherine B. Reynolds Foundation 

The Children’s Place 

General Mills Sales, Inc. 

Heart Sing Foundation 


Northrop Grumman Foundation 

Saks Fifth Avenue 

Sappi Fine Paper 

Universal Television Networks 

Bronze Circle 

($10,000 to $24,999) 

Armstrong, MacIntyre & Severns, Inc. 

Bound to Stay Bound Books, Inc. 

Nicholas H. & Margaret H. Carlozzi 

Charitable Foundation 

George Arents, Jr. Cerimon Fund 

Fidelity Investments Employees 

Ford Motor Company Fund 

Freddie Mac Foundation 

The Freed Foundation, Inc. 

Gannett Foundation 

The Laffey-McHugh Foundation 

Staples Foundation for Learning 

Unisys 

Wachovia Regional Foundation 

Patrons 

($5,000 to $9,999) 

AstraZeneca, Inc. 

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company 

Calvert Asset Management Co., Inc. 

The Cleveland Foundation 

Environmental Federation of Oregon 

Ernst & Young, LLP 

Fox Point Limited 

Knight Vision Foundation, Inc. 

McNamara Foundation 

The JPMorgan Chase Foundation 

Newsweek 

Offset Paperback Manufacturers, Inc. 

The Pfeffer Foundation 

Pinola Family Foundation 

Sallie Mae Employees 

Charles Spear Charitable Trust 

The TJX Foundation, Inc. 

Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc. 

Washington Management Corporation Foundation 

Sponsors 

($2,500 to $4,999) 

Anonymous 

Capital Group Companies, Inc. 

Citizens Bank Foundation 

Dupont Center for Collaborative Research 

and Education 

General Motors–Saturn Wilmington Plant 

Lisa and Douglas Goldman Fund 

The HCA Foundation 

The Kiplinger Foundation 

The Nellie Mae Education Foundation, Inc. 

Noramco, Inc. 

Parenting Group 

PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP 

The Sulzberger Foundation, Inc. 

Surefire Marketing, Inc. 

The Washington Post Company 

Partners 

($1,000 to $2,499) 

Allegis Group Foundation, Inc. 

Altria Group, Inc. 

Loretta Barrett Books 

The Bartech Group 

Burch Family Foundation 

Carrier, Blackman & Associates, P.C. 

Cavarocchi Ruscio Dennis Associates, LLC 

Certified Public Accountants Society 

Executives Association 

Philippe Citron Charitable Foundation Trust 

CNL Financial Group, Inc. 

Cox Enterprises 

Educational Paperback Association, Inc. 

Entspire, LLC 

Hewlett Packard Employees 

Holland & Knight Charitable Foundation, Inc. 

Household Bank, f.s.b. 

Nottingham Parent-Teacher Association 

Omni Hotels 

The Pirret Foundation 

The Prudential Foundation 

Rand Construction Corporation 

Renah Blair Rietzke Family & Community 

Foundation, Inc. 

Right Management Consultants, Inc. 

Science Weekly, Inc. 

Southeastern Library Association 

Southfield Investment Advisors, Inc. 

Spier New York 

Sulica Fund 

USA Funds, Inc. 

Venable, Baetjer and Howard Foundation, Inc. 

Wells Capital, Inc. 

Reading Is Fundamental was named by Reader’s 

Digest as among “The Best Charities: Who’s Worth 

Trusting with Your Donated Dollars.” 

Friends of RIF 

($250 to $999) 

ARAMARK ServiceMaster Facility Services 

Bank of America Foundation 

BP Foundation, Inc. 

Chevy Chase Bank 

Children’s Education Foundation, Inc. 

Coppercon 

Cosanti Foundation Cause Fund 

Country Living Associates, Inc. 

Dannon Company, Inc. 

David Howell & Company 

Development Resources, Inc. 

Florissant Valley Jaycees 

GailForce Communications Inc. 

The Gallup Organization 

Gianettino & Meredith, Inc. Advertising 

Goerlich Family Foundation, Inc. 

The Grant Family Fund 

Harmony Fund, Inc. 

HarperCollins Publishers 

The Molly and Joseph Herman Foundation 

Illinois Tool Works Foundation 

International Monetary Fund Employees 

Kelly Services Foundation 

Kiwanis Club of Caldwell West Essex 

Leprecon, Inc. 

Locust Street Starbucks & Customers 

M. L. Takats Foundation 

Mardell Family Charitable Foundation 

Mattoon & Lee Equipment, Inc. 

MitreTek Systems 

New York District Circle K International 

Northwestern Ohio Community 

Action Commission 

Oppenheimer Funds, Inc. 

Pi Beta Phi 

Rockefeller Brothers Fund, Inc. 

The Wilbert & Genevieve Schauer 

Foundation, Inc. 

Shelton Family Foundation 

Summit Presbyterian Church 

Top Line Co. 

World Bank Employees 

INDIVIDUALS 

RIF Benefactors 

($25,000 and above) 


Literacy Patrons 

($10,000 to $24,999) 

Alexandra Armstrong 

Claudia T. Johnson 

John F. and Judith B. Remondi 

Reader’s Club 

($5,000 to $9,999) 

Anonymous 

Marcia and Frank Carlucci 

James C. Curvey 

Susan and Robert Diamond 

David and Vivien Harper 

Richard J. Pinola 

Carol H. Rasco 

Harold T. & Vivian B. Shapiro 

Cam Starrett 

Mentors 

($2,500 to $4,999) 

Jon E. and Norma Barfield 

John G. Boyd 

Annette Dwyer 

Barbara Hackman Franklin and Wallace Barnes 

Juwan A. Howard 

Venkatarama R. Koppaka 

Earl and Sharon Lichtenstein 

Nell Minow 

Marion and Ruth Nadler 

Christopher J. Nordeen 

Bruce A. Quinnell 

David J. Stern 

Roma R. Wehde 

Arthur H. White 

Wordsmiths 

($1,000 to $2,499) 

Susan Alworth 

Kirsten A. Anderson 

Loretta Barrett 

Jack M. and Cecilia Berg-Benson 

Tom and Kathy Bingham 

Donald Brown 

Christopher Cerf 

Justin T. Chang 

Jay and Cynthia Cohan 

Jeff P. Connor 

Patricia and Kevin Cornell 

Karen Davidowski 

Barbara A. Deemer 

James and Lisa Dempsey 

Lloyd J. Derrickson 

William F. Fagan 

Michael S. Ferris 

Arthur M. Friedrichs 

Jeffrey W. Galginaitis 

Jeffrey A. Goodwin 

Lon and Bonnie Greenberg 

K. Cyrus Hadavi 

Mary Zeiler Haft 

Tamara L. Heim 

Lee M. Jacobsohn 

Luci B. Johnson 

Brian and Terri Kaisner 

Joan E. Kennedy 

Melissa Lawrence 

David P. Lueth 

William G. and Mary S. Lycan 

Deborah L. MacGregor 

Joseph and Linda Maurelli 

Claude A. Mayberry 

Robert and Cynthia McBride 

Thomas F. and Donna McLarty 

Frank Morisano 

Dwayne Nesmith 

Mark and Janice Rainey 

Daphne Craven Reese 

Jeanne Foulkes Rozel 

Mark and Alison Russell 

James and Georgine Scott 

Joseph J. Sisco 

Annelise and Robert H. Smith 

Trisha Soester 

Martin B. Springer 

Carol Cox Wait 

Robin and John Wendler 

Jack K. White 

Ralph E. Williams 


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28 

Friends of RIF 

($250 to $999) 

Timothy J. Allen 

Catherine R. Balck 

Letitia Baldrige Hollensteiner 

Richard Baldwin 

Timothy Bender and Leann Baehman 

Craig and Martha Berghahn 

Michael and Ruth Berry 

Nancy Blume 

James M. Blust 

John Bornmann 

Erica Briggs 

Barbara Campbell 

Robert M. Case 

Kimberly Cashin 

Lee Clarke and Kristin M. Neun 

Laura Coplan 

Robert W. Coy, Jr. 

Sam Dawson, III 

Dean M. DiBias 

James J. Donovan 

M. Douglas and Jill L. Dunn 

Sindy and David Durham 

Dale and Melinda Egeberg 

Susan Gargiulo 

Alice Gerdine 

Gail W. Ginsburgh 

David F. Girard-DiCarlo 

Anthony P. Grant 

Carolyn Haddad 

Neal and Olivia Hansen 

Toni Harrington 

Cherie M. Henderson and David Poppe 

Angela M. Hitti 

Robyn S. Hodess 

Nina D. Hoffman 

Alan W. Holmes 

Jane Huey 

Connie and John Jameson 

Dorothy E. Jenkins 

Wayne S. Jew 

Suryaram and Sushila Joshi 

Cheryl Kaiden 

S. Jean Kim 

Simon T. Knight 

Brendan Lee 

Philip R. Lee 

Devera Levin 

Robyn Lipton 

Edward S. and Betsy P. Mandel 

Cynthia J. Mannes 

Sandra B. and Paul V. Matranga 

Sara E. Meléndez 

George Davis Meredith 

Ann E. Miller 


David J. Mitchell 

Julie M. Nagode 

Yolanda Nava 

Rodney A. Nielsen 

Peter Niewiadomski 

Mari Ostendorf 

Maureen Panzera 

Evelyn A. Petschek 

Martin Pike 

John Edward Porter 

Warrie Lynn Price 

Patrick and Patricia Pringle 

Annabelle and Laurance Redway 

Lois Dickson Rice 

Edward A. Mason and Virginia L. Riggert 

Jane E. Rodes 

Jane and Rick Ryan 

Michael B. Schaedle, Esq. 

Scott Schmidt 

Arlene D. and Daryl M. Schrader 

Kreg A. Sherbine 

Leslie C. Smith and Joseph C. Goulden 

Stephen Smitley 

Anne L. Stone 

William Thomas, Jr. 

Joseph S. Tiritilli 

Richard C. and Helen M.Tufaro 

Jack and Mary Margaret Valenti 

Pieter C. and Thea Vink 

Mark E. Vukalcic 

Amerin Whisnant 

Charlie and Barbara Winton 

Michael Wynne 

Patricia M. Zimbelman 

HONOR/MEMORIAL 

GIFT LIST 

Gifts in Memory of 

Margareta Anderson 

Selma Barr 

Al Bernstein 

Louise Billinger 

Audrey and Russell Bleimeyer 

Patricia Brennan 

Gay Austin Cash 

Meredith J. Charpentier 

Harvey Comer 

Joy M. Connor 

Lorraine Currie 

Marion Wynne Dennen 

Dorothy Dotson 

Ellen Simpson Dougherty 

Jinny Dow 

William T. Farnan 

Juanita E. Friedrichs 

Joyce Graf 

Louise Howland 

Lynne Jones 

Irene Karp 

Evelyn Krantz 

Ethel Kru 

Elvie Lantiegne 

Emily R. Lewis 

Mario V. Lubrano 

Pat Mabry 

Allyson Mann 

Agnus Maranda 

Sharon L. McCary 

Jeanne Heart Munley Drake 

Rosalie Spencer Naclerio 

Edith Nieman 

Anne Richardson 

Eliott Richardson 

Marie Robertson 

R. S. Rogers 

Samuel J. Rozel 

Marguerite T. Schaedle 

Marjorie Z. Shores 

Dorothy Sigsbee 

Iva Smith 

Nancy Sutherland 

Thangam Veerabadran 

Raymond Vicks, Sr. 

Joseph Whalen 

Shirley Whiting 

Harriet Youtie 

Greta Zobel 

Gifts in Honor of 

Rob and Shannon Ackerman 

The Children’s Room Staff 

at Adams Memorial Library 

The Customers, Partners, 

and Associates of Adexa, Inc. 

Starratt Alexander 

JoAnn and Thad Baker 

Kimberly Baldwin 

Paula Balzer 

Esther Barr 

John C. Bayer 

Spencer Bergeron 

Alison Korwan and Gray Berryman 

Elizabeth Besch 

Nicolas Birk 

Maria Bragg 

The Brawner Family 

Mike and Sheila Bridges 

Marge Bril 

Diane Busch 

Clark and Darleen Callis 

Lucile R. Cavanaugh 

Patricia Tobin Chapman 

Eric and Regina Christel 

Carolyn Christina 

and Stephen Christina 

Chuck and Tonya Coe 

Anne Colleran 

Barbara Colton 

Diane Crandell and Kay LeFurge 

Diane Cunningham 

Jenn Cunningham 

and Gregg Favalora 

Matt and Colleen Dall 

Drew Dalton 

Sarah and Robert Damron 

Michael R. Davis 

The Davis Family 

Bruce and Susan Dejong 

Professor Eddie Dekel 

Leila and Barry Deutschman 

Sharon Marie Discorfano 

The Donat Family 

Roger and Claudia Donegan 

Nancy Dorman 

Bob Dreas 

Michael Duncan 

Andy L. Duvall 

Fairfax Public Library 

Cataloging Department 

Tiana Fedor 

Diana Feige 

First Presbyterian Church of Fenton 

2003 Graduates 

Virginia D. Foertmeyer 

Robin Frank 

The Frank Family 

Isaac Gallant Berman 

Garrison Forest School Librarians 

Philip and Laura Gentry 

Chris and Ethel Gibson 

Betty Gill 

Elliott Graber 

June Graesser 

Regina Gray 

Jan D. Greenberg 

Chuck and Allison Grindle 

Emily Gross 

Heather Sarah Gross 

Janet Grossbard 

Michael Haggith 

Corrine Harlow 

The Hatch Family 

Mike and Brenda Hayes 

Sonya Hedlund 

Lee Heffner 

Patricia Hermann 

Jeannine and Wayne Hight 

Anthony G. Hillerman 

Samuel Winikoff Hirsch 

Brian Hittelman 

Carol Horowitz 

Chris Hudson 

John Hunnicutt 

Mike Ingram 

Sophie Isaac 

Evelyn James 

Isben Jeudy 

Jessica Jones 

Kevin and Marcia Justice 

Virginia Kallas 

Caryn Kanel 

Elaine Kaufman 

The Kersey Family 

Heather J. Ketron 

The Klotz Family 

Bruce Kmoch 

Robert Krefting 

Marsha Labuhn 

Sara LaFramboise 

Angela Lalor 

Nancy Lamia 

Tammy Lawwell 

Chris and Angela Lemmons 

The Lenker Family Children 

Randi Levine 

Mikayla and Paige Lillibridge 

The Lindenmeyer Family 

Helen Long 

David Marcus 

Tova Markowitz 

Robert A. Martin 

Giselle Martin-Kniep 

Edith Mascali 

Andrea Mason 

Randy and Angela Mayes 

Emily McClear 

Madison D. McClear 

Carolyn Meier 

Henry Michel 

Lois Miller 

Patricia Miller 

Nell Minow 

Tamborah Moore 

The Motter Family 

Annie Nawroth 

Craig and Leslee Nelius 

The Nelson Family 

Lan Neugent 

Chris and Dana Nielsen 

The O’Connor Family 

Nadya T. Okamoto 

Rebecca Olson 

Rose M. Orsborn 

Matt Ozanich and Edith Trumbull 

The Palatine School District 15 

The Pease Family 

Gail Peck 

Pelham Public Library Staff 

Lorine Pergament 

Aleta D. Perkinson 

Joanne Picone-Zocchia 

Duane Pierson 

Carol Pirsch 

Dan Plofchan 

Marshall and Nancy Powell 

Sam and Emilie Powell 

Deanna Quinn 

The Rafter Family 

Christine Ransom 

Jennifer Reinhard 

John Rentzepis and Virginia Poole 

John T. Rhett and Family 

Alyssa Ridgely 


Irv Robbins 

Ken and Karen Roberts 

Carole Rohlfs 

Mike and Paula Rukavina 

Linda Saavedra 

Karen Sanford 

The Sessions Family 

Thomas and J. B. Shelton 

Betty Sherman 

Joy and Scott Sherwood and Family 

Yuuki Shiono 

Libby Shipp 

Robert Shirley 

Scott and Cindy Shufflebarger 

The Shuler Family 

Seymour Simon 

Kirsten Simonitsch 

Craig and Kirsten Simonsgaard 

Michael Slonoff and Ryan Walsh 

Ann Smeltzer 

Jeremy and Misty Smeltzer 

The Smeltzer Family 

Tammy Smith 

Weily and Lauri Soong 

Karen Sosinski 

Cam Starrett 

Bob Stein 

The Sterling Family 

Lester and Allison Su 

Susan and Mary 

Elizabeth Taylor 

Leonard and Lana Taylor 

Victoria Taylor 

Brian and Paula Throneberry 

Tim and Pam Tidwell 

David Trimble 

Paul and Kirsten Turner 

Susan Viner 

Nancy M. Wagner 

Florence Walleigh 

Lance Waller 

Hank and Debbie Wardick 

The Warrick Family 

Richard Watros 

Russell E. Weiser 

Allison Weiss 

Martin Weissman 

Ron and Stacy Wells 

Barbara Whelan 

Emily W. Wier 

The Eric Wilcox Family 

Gail Wiley 

Mary Williams 

Randy Wolf 

Dan Wood 

Kara ZumBahlen 

IN-KIND GIFTS 

AKJ Educational Services, Inc. 

Albert Whitman & Company 

Arnold & Porter, LLP 

Big Tent Entertainment 

Bladen Lithograhphics 

The Booksource, Inc. 

Brian J. Publishing 

Candlewick Press, Inc. 

Charlesbridge Publishing 

Chronicle Books, LLC 

The Coca-Cola Company 

Henry Cole 

Crabtree Publishing Company 

Dorling Kindersley Publishing, Inc. 

Fuszion Collaborative 

Gareth Stevens, Inc. 

Global Fund for Children 

Harcourt, Inc. 

Kids Discover 

Lerner Publishing Group 

Moss, Magee, Bradley, 

Kelly & Folley 

Penguin Group (USA), Inc. 

Peaceable Kingdom Press 

Rosen Publishing Group 

Sappi Fine Paper 

Simon & Schuster, Inc. 


29

30 

RIF at a Glance 

In 2003, RIF programs served 5.1 million children at 25,000 sites through a 

network of 450,000 volunteers. 

0.5 

2.5 

RIF Volunteers RIF Sites 

Ages of Children Served 

30.6 

16.0 

50.3% Parents 

30.6% Others* 

16.0% Teachers 

2.5% Librarians 

0.5% Paid Staff 

50.3 

*Includes students, school administrators, 

service club members, health care and 

social workers, local business 

representatives, and other family members. 


5.5 

2.0 

1.2 

23.2 

10.1 

57.9 

57.9% Schools 

23.2% Head and Even Start Centers 

10.1% Other* 

5.5% Daycare Centers 

2.0% Rec. and Comm. Centers 

1.2% Libraries 

*Includes correctional facilities, 

hospitals, and health care facilities, 

public housing and other locations. 

3.8 4.7 

11.7 

60.5 

19.2 

Sources of Local Support 

47.5% Local Businesses 

36.4% PTAs/PTOs 

23.4% Schools 

16.8% Service Clubs 

7.2% Libraries 

6.5% State/Local Goverments 

3.5% Charities 

7.0% Other 

4.7% 0-2 

19.2% 3-5 

60.5% 6-11 

11.7% 12-14 

3.8% 15+ 

Percentages do not total 100 because some 

programs get support from multiple sources. 


Summary Balance Sheets 

As of September 30 

(dollar amounts in thousands) 

Assets 

2003 2002 

Cash $1,543 $4,752 

Receivable from the U.S. Department of Education 2,329 1,883 

Investments 3,799 3,133 

Pledges receivable 2,657 692 

Prepaid expenses and other assets 119 144 

Books for distribution 2,826 3,111 

Property, net 1,104 1,421 

Total assets $14,377 $15,136 

Liabilities and Net Assets 

Accounts payable $1,206 $3,740 

Accrued rent 923 971 

Other accrued expenses 784 928 

Total liabilities $2,913 $5,639 

Unrestricted $2,392 $2,254 

Temporarily restricted 8,646 6,817 

Permanently restricted 426 426 

Total net assets $11,464 $9,497 

$14,377 $15,136 


31

32 


Summary Statements of Activities 


Years ended September 30 

(dollar amounts in thousands) 

2003 2002 

Revenues 

Federal government grants $24,027 $20,873 

Contributions 8,559 10,979 

Investment gain/(loss) 695 (304) 

Sales of program materials 57 7 

Total revenues $33,338 $31,555 

Expenses 

Program services 

Inexpensive Book Distribution Program $22,726 $19,990 

Major projects 2,545 9,774 

Individual RIF programs 3,184 3,185 

Total program services $28,455 $32,949 

Support Services 

Management & general $2,116 $2,157 

Fund-raising 800 964 

Total expenses $31,371 $36,070 

Change in net assets 1,967 (4,515) 

Net assets, beginning of year $9,497 $14,012 

Net assets, end of year $11,464 $9,497 

RIF’s financial records are audited annually by KPMG LLP. For a complete set of audited financial statements, please write 

to RIF’s Chief Financial Officer, Reading Is Fundamental, 1825 Connecticut Ave., N.W., Suite 400, Washington, DC 20009. 

Learning to read has 

opened up a whole 

new world 

to me. I am able to go 

to faraway places 

and become whoever 

I want to be. 

Shayla – RIF Kid, Springfield, Illinois 

RIF is affiliated with the Smithsonian 

Institution, and has been accorded 

tax-exempt status under section 

501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue 

Code. Contributions are taxdeductible 

to the fullest extent 

of the law. 

Reading Is Fundamental, RIF, the RIF 

logo design, Running Start, Shared 

Beginnings, Open Book, Family of 

Readers, Care to Read, Book Cubs, 

and Books on the Menu are all 

registered service marks of 


© 2004 Reading Is Fundamental, Inc. 

All rights reserved. 

Design 

FUSZION Collaborative 

fuszion.com 

Paper 

The paper for this annual report 

was graciously donated by Sappi 

Fine Paper. 

Photography 

Rick Reinhard, pages 2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 

15, 20, 22, 23, and inside back cover. 

Stacey Rosenstock, page 4. 

Bridgeport RIF, page 21. 

Printing 

Printed by ChromaGraphics.

Annual Report - Reading Is Fundamental

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