Liza McFadden & Brian Hamman

FORT MYERS, Fla. (Jan. 14, 2014) – The Southwest Florida Community Foundation held a reception for the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2014.

More than 30 attendees from across the region gathered to hear an update from the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy’s President Liza McFadden on current success, programs and innovations of the Bush Foundation’s work in Southwest Florida as well as a preview of the upcoming Florida Celebration of Reading event.

“We are so grateful for this partnership with the Southwest Florida Community Foundation,” said McFadden. “Southwest Florida has always been a special place for our foundation. We’ll host our 14th reading celebration here in February, and we’ve worked with terrific programs and volunteers throughout the region. There are thousands of success stories in the local community of families who have gained literacy, and we look forward to many, many more.”

Hosted by Governor Jeb Bush, this year’s Celebration of Reading event will take place on Friday, Feb. 14 at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort & Spa. The event helps raise funds to teach parents and children to learn to read together through innovative family literacy programs.

This year’s event participants include New York Times best-selling authors Teri Hatcher, actress and author of “Burnt Toast and Other Philosophies on Life,” best known for her roles on “Desperate Housewives” and “Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman”; Mary Pope Osborne, author of the award-winning “Magic Tree House” series of children’s adventure books that first debuted in 1992; Debbie Macomber, author of the popular “Cedar Cove” novels, currently a Hallmark Channel television series; and Eric Draper author of “Front Row Seat: A Photographic Portrait of the Presidency of George W. Bush.”

The Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2014.

Founded in 1976, the Southwest Florida Community Foundation supports the communities of Lee, Charlotte, Collier, Glades and Hendry counties and also acts as the regional convener and leader with firsthand knowledge of community needs. With assets of more than $72 million, the SWFLCF has provided more than $57 million in grants and scholarships to the communities it serves. During its 2013 fiscal year, the SWFLCF granted more than $4 million to more than 100 different organizations supporting education, animal welfare, arts, healthcare and human services.

For more information about the SWFLCF, call 239-274-5900 or visit www.floridacommunity.com.

Tina Matte & Larry Hobbs

Sarah Owen with George Bush’s socks

Sarah Owen & Teresa Borcheck

Michel Doherty

Maria Flores & Tara Barrett

Christina Schwinn, Jeanne Sweeney & Nancy McGovern

Carolyn Rogers & Steven Greenstein

Bob & Donna Kaye

Anne Douglas, Patricia Dobbins & Myra Walters