LITERACY MATCH CHALLENGE CAMPAIGN
RIF is pleased to launch our first community fundraising initiative: The Literacy Match Challenge Campaign. It is a powerful opportunity to change the lives of Schenectady City School District’s 800 first-grade students through the gift of reading.
The Literacy Match Challenge Campaign will help fund RIF’s annual “Spring Into Reading Is Fun” event for the next three years. At “Spring Into Reading Is Fun”, held during a week in May, every first-grade student in Schenectady is gifted several new, age-appropriate books, a t-shirt, and a cinch bag.
Thanks to a very generous grant from The Wright Family Foundation, every dollar you give will be matched, doubling your impact, up to $30,000! The $30,000* funds we aim to raise (plus Wright’s $30,000) will cover the "Spring Into Reading Is Fun Program" for the next three years. All donations are tax-deductible.Please help The Reading Is Fun Program reach our $30,000 goal and make your tax-deductible contribution today!
* All funds raised exceeding the $30,000 match will be allocated to RIF’s overall budget.
What is "Spring Into Reading Is Fun"?
Since 2023, RIF has hosted “Spring Into Reading Is Fun”. This annual event is keyed to all of Schenectady’s approximately 800 first grade students in all 11 elementary schools in the city. During one designated week in May, RIF Reading Partners visit each first-grade classroom, read a story to the class, and give each student a tote bag filled with new grade-level appropriate books & a t-shirt. RIF’s goal for “Spring Into Reading Is Fun” is to put books into the hands and homes of our youngest readers, to encourage reading through the summer months, and to boost family involvement in their child’s reading journey.
How the Wright Family Foundation
Generously Supports RIF
In 2023, the Wright Family Foundation awarded RIF $20,000 to hold its first “Spring Into Reading Is Fun” event. After great feedback from Schenectady students, parents, and teachers, the Wright Family Foundation awarded an additional $20,000 each year to fund this event in 2024 and 2025.
Now the Wright Family Foundation has issued a challenge for 2026 and beyond! Wright will generously match every donation RIF receives for its annual “Spring Into Reading Is Fun” event, dollar for dollar, up to $30,000.* These funds will give every Schenectady first-grade student books to read over the summer months, and will sustain the “Spring Into Reading Is Fun” event for the next three school years.
How You Can Help
Please join us to reach our goal to match $30,000 and
make your tax-deductible donation today!
Literacy Match Challenge Donor Opportunities
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$5,000 and up – Literacy Champions for Change
Will provide 2 books for all 800 students for one Spring into Reading is Fun Event
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$1,000 - $4,999 – Literacy Visionaries
Will provide 1 book for 300 students for one Spring into Reading is Fun Event
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$100 - $999 – Literacy Leaders
Will provide 1 book for 33 students for one Spring into Reading is Fun Event
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$99 or below – Literacy Impact Makers
Combined with other gifts will help us reach our goal!
All donations will be recognized on The Reading Is Fun Program’s website www.readingisfun.org/literacy-match
Campaign Thermometer
Please note that Zeffy, the web company we partner with for donation processing, suggests a range of upcharge percentages that are used to offset credit card merchant fees we would otherwise have to pay, and to help Zeffy maintain and develop its offerings. If you would prefer not to pay its suggested percentages, please select Other and enter your own amount.
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You may instead send a check* to:
The Reading Is Fun Program, Inc.
P.O. Box 9437
Schenectady, NY 12309
* Please note in check memo: "Literacy Match Challenge"
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Please ask your employer if they have a matching gift program to increase your gift even further.
Thank you to RIF's Literacy Match Donors
Literacy Visionaries
Mary Batzinger
Marilyn J. Chase Family Trust
Alvin & Sally Magid
Literacy Leaders
Fredrick Bremer-Bremer Forensic Consultants PLLC
Vicki Bremer
Deb Carey
Jan Gallas
Linda Knipper
Larry Lewis
Sandra McIntyre
Jeffrey Murtagh
Rebecca ODonnell
Larry Pierce
Sabrina Ricci
Mary Lou Russo
Ricki D Shapiro
Stephanie Warlik
Literacy Impact Makers
Anonymous
Susan Burton
Danielle Chapola
Constance Clarke
Bruce Connolly
Kathleen Greene
Maureen Wiedl
Literacy Match Challenge Campaign Contacts
Please contact the RIF Fundraising team with any questions.
Jan Gallas at jgjgfl@aol.com
Sabrina Ricci at RIFOutreach@gmail.com
Mary Lou Russo at Russo5times@gmail.com.
Founded in 2013, The Reading Is Fun Program is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt non-profit,
with EIN number 99-4988221. For more information, please visit www.readingisfun.org.