In the waning days of the school year, a flurry of activity took place at our schools and sites -- just in time to get books into children's hands before the summer break. Many of the book distributions are captured below, with others on our website and noted in our social media! Please follow us, by the way, on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn!

Our 2025-26 school year programs and book distributiions have made quite an impact on the children we serve! Read below for some stats from the year! Books really do change lives! And you can, too! Please give generously by clicking here or read below for mailing options! Thank YOU!

Last Author Visit!

Author Hena Khan presented to 3rd and 4th graders at PWC's Marumsco Hills ES about her background as an award-winning Pakistani American Muslim author. They loved hearing stories of her childhood, one of which became a book about the author's real-life dream to break the world record for hula hooping. The PE teacher challenged Hena to show off her skills, and she gave it a go! The students loved it! They also loved getting a new autographed Zara book to take home for summer reading. Click here to see all of our author visits to date!

IMPACT: 21 Author Visits & Autographed Books for 3,200 Kids + 300 Books for School Classrooms

IMPACT: STEAM Projects & Books for 3,400 Kids at Six Schools!

Last Books for Keeps Distributions!

IMPACT: 23,000 Children Chose ONE New Book;

Special Book Grants Added 9,000 More!

RIF NOVA's signature activity is our Books for Keeps program -- to provide new books for children at over 30 schools and sites in Northern Virginia. Books are distributed by school liaisons at book celebrations throughout the year. Some are featured below. More from the 2025-2026 school year can be found by clicking here.

Who can read 250 minutes over the summer? Students at PWC's Sinclair ES have been challenged to try! During a special distribution -- thanks to the Heritage Hunt Giving Circle -- students picked up a reading log and a new book to keep. There will be prizes when school resumes, but the real prize is reading a book you chould choose yourself!

The children of PWC's West Gate ES got to "sink their teeth into a good book" during a year-end book distribution -- also funded by a grant from the Heritage Hunt Giving Circle. The kids chose a brand new book, plus bookmarks and stickers with seaside scenes. Heritage Hunt Circle's Judy Flynn joined in for the celebration!

Arlington's Even Start Family Literacy Program had a pool party complete with a blowup pool, beach balls, and swim noodles! Thanks to a RIF / RIF NOVA matching grant, children could settle into a beach chair with two new RIF NOVA books. Could summer reading get any better than this? No sunscreen necessary! 

Over a thousand students at Fairfax County's Hutchison ES were able to "Splash into Reading" -- thanks to a RIF / RIF NOVA matching grant. Activities included summer themed coloring pages, songs, and bookmarks. What made the biggest splash? Choosing a new book to keep.

Many pre-K children in the FCPS Early Childhood Program are Off to Kindergarten, armed with books from RIF NOVA. The smiles were endless as the kids picked books they can enjoy all summer long! Getting an early start with books of their own to read…priceless! 

The Arlington Teen Parenting Program celebrated some of its graduating high school seniors. Along with singing, flowers, and balloons, there were books for the little people AND their moms and dads. Some of the books were just downright (ahem) yummy!

Last Donated Books Events!

IMPACT: 15,000 Books Collected;

15,000 Redistributed in Our Community

New and like-new books came from our community to be regifted to kids everywhere! Recent donors included the Justice High School National English Honor Society, the Sterling Leo Club, CGI Federal, and 1stGenYale, among others. Just look at the faces and places where those books found new homes! More photos of donated books distributions can be found by clicking here.

During Pancakes at Polk, rising kindergartners enjoyed breakfast and a new-to-them book to keep for summer reading. The books went like (groan) hotcakes!

In honor of Little Free Library Week, one of RIF NOVA's youngest helpers stuffed the Little Free Library boxes at two Title 1 elementary schools with donated books.

Arlington's Drew ES Dragons were out in force to celebrate Drew Day! RIF NOVA was there, too, with donated books -- right along with face painting, craft making, and a shaving-cream-in-the-face contest!

The line snaked beyond the tent as RIF NOVA gave out almost 1,400 donated books at the Fairfax Library Association's Children's Summer Reading Festival.

RIF NOVA is proud to be a top-rated 501(c)(3)U.S. nonprofit -- EIN 51-0155758. Every book we are able to give is due to YOU! Thank you!!!

Your funds help with all RIF NOVA programs! Donate electronically by clicking here or on the Donate image above.

Send a check:

Reading is Fundamental of Northern Virginia, Inc. 

P.O. Box 7012

Arlington, VA 22207-0012

Thank you for being part of the RIF NOVA community!

Books change lives!

RIF NOVA | www.rifnova.org | 703-528-3763 | info@rifnova.org

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