Help ‘Spread the Love of Reading’ through Facebook

Gerber Life has teamed up with Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) to launch Project Open Book. Through this Facebook campaign, visitors can upload a photo of their child to a mosaic and for each photo uploaded Gerber Life will donate $1 to RIF to buy books for kids in need…up to $10,000!

“$10,000 will help provide books to 4,000 RIF Kids!” – Carol Rasco, CEO of RIF. Raco from RIF

RIF is the nation’s largest non-profit children’s literacy organization that recently celebrated 45 years of putting free books in the hands of underprivileged children. Founded in 1966, RIF has been fortunate to receive federal funding each year in addition to private donations and corporate partnerships to put books into the hands of millions of children. In March, RIF lost its federal funding of $25 million for the fiscal year, which was 80% of its operating budget. These federal dollars were critical to continuing the support of RIF’s mission and without them, this leaves the organization, its mission and RIF Kids in jeopardy.

With the loss of such a significant portion of their budget and poverty levels at an alarmingly high rate, this is where social media campaigns like Project Open Book can help close the funding gap. Something as simple as asking a parent to share a photo of their child, which is already done each and every day through Facebook and many other social channels. This simple action will donate $1 to help kids is a just a small display of how we can put the ‘fun’ in fundraising. Together through sharing, we can bring awareness and raise funds to bring the ‘Joy of Reading’ to children that need it the most.

As a former RIF Kid and former staffer at RIF, I encourage each of you to ‘like’ Gerber Life on Facebook and upload your child’s photo to Project Open Book. Share your favorite photo of your child and donate $1 in the process, it can’t be any easier! Don’t forget to tell your friends. The Project Open Book campaign will run through February 13, 2012.

If you are interested in learning more about Reading Is Fundamental or how you can get involved, they have an active social media presence focused on awareness:

• Follow RIF on Twitter, @RIFWEB
• ‘Like’ RIF on Facebook, facebook.com/ReadingIsFundamental
• Subscribe to Carol Rasco’s blog, Rasco from RIF