Houston Rockets and Reliant Join Forces to Benefit the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation Through Revamped Virtual Book Drive

—With exceptional community need, supporting literacy is easier than ever—

HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Throughout the month of March, the Houston Rockets and the Rockets Women’s Organization are partnering with Reliant for the fifth annual HTX Reads Book Drive benefiting the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation – this year with a virtual twist.

Amid the ongoing pandemic, Houstonians are asked to support childhood literacy virtually by texting “Book Drive” to 91999 or visiting bushhoustonliteracy.org/bookdrive. For those wishing to donate in-person, a physical drop-off will also be available at Blue Willow Bookshop and Barnes and Nobles at Town and Country. In addition to donating money or books, Houstonians are encouraged to celebrate National Read Aloud Month by making reading with their children a daily habit and using #HTXReads when sharing photos on social media.

This year’s goal is to raise $17,500 or 3,500 books to fill the Curiosity Cruisers, state-of-the-art mobile libraries operated by the Harris County Public Library system made possible by the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation’s Ladies for Literacy Guild. These mobile libraries provide local children with access to books and educational programs that integrate reading with science, math, technology, writing and the arts. Two Curiosity Cruisers currently exist, with a third being built to hit the streets in early April. Reliant has made a $5,000 donation to stock a Curiosity Cruiser with books.

“The Coronavirus pandemic has continued to have a devastating impact on our education system and the academic progress of schoolchildren,” said Dr. Julie Baker Finck, president of the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation. “We must continue to unite as a community to address the growing and vital need for supporting students to success, most especially economically-disadvantaged children and families who do not have the resources to bridge the learning gap between school and home. The HTX Reads Book Drive is one important way to fuel the Curiosity Cruiser initiative and make a difference in the lives of children.”

“Every spring, we look forward to celebrating National Read Aloud Month with the HTX Reads Book Drive to ensure more children have access and opportunities to unlock their full potential,” said Elizabeth Killinger, president of Reliant. “We are delighted to partner with the Houston Rockets and the Rockets Women’s Organization along with Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation’s Ladies for Literacy Guild for the fifth year in a row to continue supporting families through challenging times.”

To learn more about the HTX Reads Book Drive, visit bushhoustonliteracy.org/bookdrive.

About Rockets Women’s Organization

The Rockets Women’s Organization is comprised of women who are coaches, and basketball operations staff. The Rockets Women’s Organization strives to make a difference in the lives of families and children by volunteering time, energy and resources to various charitable organizations in the Houston area.

About Reliant, an NRG company

Reliant powers, protects and simplifies life by bringing electricity, security and related services to homes and businesses across Texas. Serving customers and the community is at the core of what we do, and the company is recognized nationally for outstanding customer experience. Reliant is part of NRG, a Fortune 500 company that creates value by generating electricity and providing energy solutions to more than 3.7 million residential, small business and commercial customers across the U.S. and Canada. NRG’s competitive residential electricity business, which includes Reliant, is one of the largest in the country. For more information about Reliant, visit reliant.com and connect with Reliant on Facebook at facebook.com/reliantenergy and Twitter or Instagram @reliantenergy. PUCT Certificate #10007.

About Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation

The Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation, co-chaired by Neil and Maria Bush, was established as a charitable organization focused on improving the quality of life for Houston residents through the power of literacy. The Foundation advocates for literacy as a fundamental right of everyone and a foundational skill towards success in life. It is founded on the belief held by Former First Lady Barbara Bush, “If you help a person to read, then their opportunities in life will be endless.” In 2013, the Bush Family created the Houston-based foundation separate from the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy, a national foundation, in response to the need to deepen the awareness of and intensify services and support for the nation’s fourth largest and most diverse city – Houston. To learn more about the Foundation, please visit www.bushhoustonliteracy.org.