Reading is Fundamental

In 2006, Book’em joined forces with Reading Is Fundamental (RIF), the largest children's literacy organization in the United States. Today, Book’em administers the RIF program in 15 Title I Metro Nashville elementary schools and is working to be able to serve more schools in the future. Each classroom is visited by a volunteer reader five times throughout the school year, during which the reader engages the students through interactive reading. At the end of each visit, students each pick their own book to keep and enjoy at home. Each child ends the school year with five new books in their home library, a relationship with a reading role model, and (we hope!) a re-energized love of books and reading.

Locally, the RIF program now serves over 7,000 children a year through a network of more than 250 reading role model volunteers, distributing 31,000+ books annually.