Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy Celebrates Moms with Gift of Literacy

~Share a favorite bedtime story to help families access digital library

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Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy

Apr 30, 2015, 10:00 ET

WASHINGTON, April 30, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- To celebrate moms as their child's first teacher, the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy is teaming up with BabyFirst^TM. Each time a person submits their favorite bedtime story at www.HelpThemRead.org between now and Mother's Day, BabyFirst will donate up to 25,000 digital subscriptions to Snuggle Stories to low-literacy families.

According to researchers, books matter hugely for children from low-status homes (parents not high school graduates, working at semi-skilled or unskilled jobs, with fewer than 100 books in the home). For these modest families, 75 books enable children to perform one-and-a-half grades better than their peers from bookless families, a significant difference.*

Liza McFadden, president and CEO of the Barbara Bush Foundation shares, "We believe our next generation of Benjamin Franklins read digital books. Help us to put great bedtime books in the hands of moms in time for Mother's Day."

To participate in the campaign, go to www.helpthemread.org and select a favorite bedtime story. For each submission, one subscription of Snuggle Stories, which includes 40 books, will be made available to a family.

"By sharing your favorite bedtime story, we will be able to provide the gift of literacy," said Guy Oranim, CEO of BabyFirst, "Everyone deserves the chance to learn and read, and with a few simple clicks, we can help make reading a reality in homes across America."

The Barbara Bush Foundation is the nation's leading advocate for family literacy. The goals of the Foundation are simple: we want children to start school ready to excel and help parents improve their literacy skills. To learn more about the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy's commitment to promote family literacy in homes across America, please visit www.helpthemread.org or join the conversation on Facebook or Twitter (@BarbaraBushFdt).

About BabyFirst and Snuggle Stories
BabyFirst is the leading baby-focused TV channel and digital content company dedicated to delivering quality educational content to young children and their parents. Snuggle Stories is an educational book-based app made specifically for children ages 0-5. The app features more than 40 books, including original stories contributed by the global cable TV network, BabyFirst.

* Social Forces (2014) 92 (4): 1573-1605. doi: 10.1093/sf/sou030

Contact: Mercedes Schlapp at (703) 470-4794 or Emily Merkley at (323) 549-0012

SOURCE Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy