Washington, DC, April 25, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --
Reading Is Fundamental (RIF), the nation’s largest children’s literacy non-profit organization, is partnering with Homewood Suites by Hilton on the shared mission of promoting children’s literacy by providing families, teachers, parents, and community volunteers free and accessible educational materials around Lewis the Duck books.
With a longtime commitment to children’s literacy, Homewood Suites by Hilton created the Lewis the Duck books to help make kids feel more comfortable while someone they love is away. Reading Is Fundamental created supplemental learning materials aligned with the Lewis the Duck books along with a custom page on its Literacy Central website, featuring Lewis the Duck books with two titles available in Spanish and English. Each title is matched with complimentary literacy activities and educational reading resources to help create engaged readers. The books also include an e-book version to encourage kids and parents to take reading on the go. Parents, teachers, volunteers and literacy lovers can access the custom Homewood Suites collection on Literacy Central at RIF.org/HomewoodSuites.
"As the Lewis the Duck book series continues to grow and evolve, we are excited to partner with Reading Is Fundamental and offer these valuable reading resources, which we hope will provide more children with the tools needed to improve literacy levels in our communities," said Adrian Kurre, global head, Homewood Suites by Hilton. The Lewis the Duck books were created to keep our guests connected to their families while traveling while also strengthening our commitment to childhood literacy, and we look forward to this new chapter with RIF.”
Homewood Suites by Hilton and Reading Is Fundamental will continue the partnership to encourage kids to read with promotion in Homewood Suites by Hilton hotels around the United States, Mexico and Canada. Literacy resources, including bookmarks and activity sheets, will be available to Homewood Suites by Hilton guests.
“Reading Is Fundamental is committed to creating a culture of literacy in communities nationwide. Reading is the necessary foundation for all children that puts them on the pathway for success,” says Reading is Fundamental President and CEO, Alicia Levi. “We’ve joined forces with partner Homewood Suites to meet the reading needs of today’s children with relevant tools and resources needed to impact children and encourage reading.
Every child deserves an opportunity to own books, learn how to read, and obtain the fundamental building blocks needed to achieve their highest potential, yet 25 million children in the United States cannot read proficiently.1 In addition, 34% of children entering kindergarten lack the basic skills needed to learn how to read. 2 By the fourth grade, 65% of children are reading below grade level.3
Additionally, Homewood Suites by Hilton and RIF are partnering with Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital in Memphis, TN on a special Children’s Book Week reading celebration on April 30. Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital has a Family Resource Center where patients can come and read, parents can find out more about their child’s illness and families can spend some time outside their hospital room. Along with story time and special activities for patients, Homewood Suites by Hilton will donate a collection of Lewis the Duck books to the Family Resource Center as part of the brand’s commitment and contribution towards children’s literacy.
About Reading Is Fundamental
Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) is committed to a literate America by inspiring a passion for reading among all children, providing quality content to create impact, and engaging communities in the solution to give every child the fundamentals for success. As the nation's largest non-profit organization for children's literacy, RIF has provided more than 415 million books, impacting the lives of 40 million kids in all 50 states.
About Homewood Suites by Hilton
Homewood Suites by Hilton, Hilton’s upscale, all-suite, extended-stay hotel brand with more than 450 locations in the United States, Mexico and Canada, is an award-winning leader. The first choice for guests seeking comfortable accommodations when traveling for an extended or quick overnight stay, Homewood Suites offers inviting, generous suites, featuring separate living and sleeping areas, and fully-equipped kitchens with full-size refrigerators. Additional value-driven essentials include: complimentary internet, a daily full hot breakfast, and complimentary evening social every Monday - Thursday. Hilton Honors members who book directly through preferred Hilton channels have access to instant benefits, including a flexible payment slider that allows members to choose nearly any combination of Points and money to book a stay, an exclusive member discount that can’t be found anywhere else, free standard Wi-Fi, and digital amenities like digital check-in with room selection and Digital Key (select locations), available exclusively through the industry-leading Hilton Honors app. Homewood Suites is focused on guest satisfaction and stands behind each stay with its 100% Suite Assurance® guarantee. For more information on the extended-stay advantage, visit www.homewoodsuites.com or news.homewoodsuites.com
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1 Based on an analysis of NAEP test scores.
2 Council on Early Childhood (2014). Literacy promotion: An essential component of primary care pediatric practice. Pediatrics 134(2): 404-409.
3 National Center for Education Statistics. The Nation’s Report Card: A First Look: 2013 Mathematics and Reading.