The Ivy League Football Coaches Association announced Tuesday that it would lend its support to the Literacy Volunteers of America, joining forces with National Spokesman Wally Amos of Famous Amos Cookies in the fight against illiteracy.

The Ivy coaches voiced their backing at the annual Ivy League football coaches meeting in Providence. R.I.

"The Ivy League football coaches have been searching for an opportunity to become associated with a positive social and educational volunteer program," said Princeton University Coach Frank Navarro. "The Literacy Volunteers are fighting a problem which is both solvable and relates closely to our roles as coaches and educators."

Navarro was the catalyst behind the coaches' decision to volunteer their support for the organization. The Princeton coach had been impressed after seeing Amos campaigning on television against illiteracy.

Ames also attended the coaches meeting and offered his thanks to the coaches for their support.

"I want to thank all the coaches for the commitment they are making." Amos said, adding, "I got involved because I wanted to give something back to society. Unless I was able to do something constructive with my fame, then it really had no value."

The Literacy Volunteers of America is a national organization founded to combat the problem of growing illiteracy in the United States and Canada. The Ivy League coaches said in a prepared statement that some 26 million people in this country are functionally illiterate.

Harvard Coach Joe Restic said that the Ivy coaches had no real plans laid out, but that they planned to "lend our support to the situation and lend help wherever it is needed." He added, "whatever the organization feels needs to be done, we will help do. We're in the formative stages and we're in total support of the movement."