Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) Pittsburgh is a children’s literacy organization that works to lessen the literacy and achievement gaps in neighborhoods of need in Pittsburgh and Wilkinsburg.  

Last program year alone, we provided more than 84,000 high-interest, diverse books to approximately more than 15,000 kids. Additionally, we served nearly 8,000 children and their families at community events!

Our books come wrapped in programming that gets kids excited about reading and provides a network of literacy support that follows them from birth into their teens. Along the way, we reach out to families, caregivers, educators and the other important adults in youngsters’ lives whose involvement is crucial to their success.

RIF Pittsburgh programs are embedded in the city’s most underserved neighborhoods, where children face a substantial literacy gap even before they start kindergarten.

We are working to address the uneven access to resources and opportunities that contribute to this disparity by delivering programs to seven target neighborhoods – East Liberty, Hazelwood, the Hill District, Homewood/East Hills, North Side, South Side, and Wilkinsburg.

Our research-based programs are designed to build the foundations of success, in school and in life, through book ownership, motivational activities, and positive reading experiences that engage the child’s family, neighborhood, and the larger community that surrounds them.

• Our four Storymobiles are lending-libraries-on-wheels and RIF Pittsburgh’s street ambassadors, making bi-weekly visits to early childhood centers, preschools, kindergarten classrooms, after-school programs, and public housing communities across Pittsburgh and Wilkinsburg.

• Book Babies, our young family engagement program, is an acknowledgement that parents are their children’s first teachers, critical to developing literacy and school-readiness. The program provides books, resources, modeling and support for parents/caregivers and tots, up to age 3, nurturing early, at-home literacy development.

• Books for Keeps, our largest program, features fun, educational Reading Celebrations that combine storytimes, motivational literacy activities, and the opportunity to select a book to take home and keep. Children at more than 80 schools, early childhood centers, and after-school programs participate in 3-5 interactive Reading Celebrations a year.

• Everybody Wins!, our literacy mentoring program, pairs pre-K to third graders with community and corporate volunteers to share conversation and books. Students benefit from the one-on-one encouragement of a caring adult, while mentors enjoy making a difference in a young person’s life!