doing barbara proud

Beloved Former First Lady's charity loads up books for Houston kids

Former First Lady Barbara Bush's foundation is ensuring kids have all they need to learn at home.

Photo courtesy of Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation

As Houstonians adjust to school at home, some experiencing the challenge of learning loss, a beloved local nonprofit organization is making sure kids have the academic materials they need.

The Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation and Reliant have teamed up to provide $30,000 in vouchers for books and other learning essentials to more than a dozen Houston-area organizations who serve disadvantaged children.

The voucher initiative will help mitigate summer learning loss and support at-home learning, according to a statement. The effort is an extension of the HTX Reads Book Drive hosted by the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation’s Ladies For Literacy Guild in partnership with Reliant and the Houston Rockets Women’s Organization.

This gift comes on the heels of Reliant’s $300,000 donation to Houston-area COVID-19 relief initiatives to protect frontline workers and those adversely impacted by the pandemic and the Foundation’s donation of 100,000 new books to HISD students.

“Reliant is passionate about supporting youth in our community, and we can make a real difference by putting books in children’s hands,” said Elizabeth Killinger, Reliant president. “With school closures and the learning impacts felt nationwide due to COVID-19, our continued partnership with the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation is more important than ever.”

Organizations that will benefit from the gift include:

Adult Education Center, Bear Creek United Methodist Church, Books Between Kids, Children's Museum of Houston, Harris County Public Library - Curiosity Cruiser, Houston Area Urban League, Houston Public Library Foundation, HYPE Freedom School, Inc., iWRITE Nonprofit Organization, Reach Out and Read at Children’s Learning Institute of UT Health, The Alliance, The Kids' Reading Room, Wesley Community Center, and Women's Storybook Project of Texas.

“Children of low-income families typically experience annual summer learning loss,” said Dr. Julie Baker Finck, president of the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation, in a statement. “However, experts anticipate the ‘learning slide’ will be exacerbated by school closures that began in March due to the coronavirus. It is critical – now more than ever – to empower children with books in the home and equip families with resources to help continue learning.”

The Foundation has also launched #WeRead, a virtual read aloud initiative encouraging children and families to read together. The initiative also provides resources and tips for parents and educators to help support a child’s literacy development at home.

books charity-guide

RIP, Wally

Texan Wally Funk, oldest woman to travel into space, dies at 87

Wally Funk aboard Blue Origin New Shepard

Photo courtesy of Blue Origin

The 82-year-old Wally Funk became the oldest person to go to space on July 20, 2021.

GRAPEVINE, Texas (AP) — Wally Funk, an aviation pioneer who was the oldest woman to launch into space, has died. She was 87.

Funk died Wednesday, July 8 at her apartment in an assisted living facility in Grapevine, Grapevine City Councilwoman Duff O'Dell said Thursday. O'Dell, who described herself as Funk's caregiver, said she was by Funk's side. Funk had fallen a couple of times recently and had an infection in her leg.

“It took its toll,” O'Dell said in a phone interview.

Wally Funk became a hometown hero in Grapevine. Facebook/Wally Funk's Space for Race

Funk was one of 13 female pilots who went through the same tests as NASA’s all-male astronaut corps in the early 1960s but never made it into space. In 2021, she got her chance aboard Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin rocket. At the time, the 82-year-old was the oldest person to go into space, though the record was later broken by “Star Trek” actor William Shatner and Ed Dwight, America’s first Black astronaut candidate. They were both 90.

Bezos chose Funk as an “honored guest” to ride alongside him and two others on an up-and-down hop from West Texas aboard his Blue Origin rocket.

In interviews after the 11-minute flight, Funk enthusiastically told reporters, "I loved every minute of it. I just wish it had been longer.”

Wally Funk in her '20s as a flight instructor. Facebook/Wally Funk's Space for Race

She became a hometown hero when she returned home to Dallas-Fort Worth; the city of Grapevine threw a parade for her history-making experience.

“Wally Funk never stopped believing that one day she would reach space. Her passion for flight, perseverance, and love of exploration will continue to inspire generations of Americans. Godspeed, Wally,” NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman posted Thursday on X.

---

This story contains material from CultureMap story archives.

obituary wally funk celebrities deaths