Barbara Bush Literacy Library Project/MELP/Dictionary Project
TFRW supports and participates in the following literacy programs:
Barbara Bush founded the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy on March 6, 1989. Since that time the foundation has awarded nearly $13 million to build or expand about four hundred family literacy programs in forty-four states.
MAMIE EISENHOWER LIBRARY PROJECT (MELP)
The purpose of the Mamie Eisenhower Library Project, established in 1961 to honor the former First Lady, is to foster Republican philosophy and ideas through the donation of subject related books and videos to libraries, schools, or other institutions. The official MELP list can be found on the NFRW website at www.nfrw.org.
The Dictionary Project was started with the goal of providing third grade students in public schools with their own personal dictionary. In January 2003 the TFRW Board voted to implement the Dictionary Project throughout Texas as one of our community outreach initiatives. In the first year of the program, forty-six local units participated donating twenty thousand dictionaries. The website www.dictionaryproject.org provides information on how to implement the project.
Local clubs that choose to participate in these literacy programs will earn award points toward the TFRW John Goodwin Tower Award of Excellence and/or the NFRW Achievement Award.
1. Encourage the local units to participate in the TFRW literacy programs and to appoint a Literacy Chairman.
2. Encourage the local units to have at least one program about literacy during the current biennial period.
3. Encourage the local units to donate at least ten (10) new books (or used-books that are in good condition) to a local library, school, or shelter in support of the BBLLP and one book from the MELP approved list. When possible, approve books a local unit selects that are not on the official MELP list
4. Provide both BBLLP and MELP bookplates to the local units in order that the bookplates may be placed in the books before they are donated.
5. Document the total number of all donated books and dictionaries and their recipients from information provided by the Literacy Chairman of each local unit.
6. Encourage local unit members to volunteer in literacy programs.
7. Accumulate media coverage from the Literacy Chairman of the local units about their literacy activities.
8. Act as the liaison between the Literacy Chairman of the local units and the TFRW Board.