Posts by Julia H.

Tata Steel Builds Strong Readers in Ohio

Nov23
2010 Written by Julia H.

Forty-two shining young faces greeted employees from Thomas Steel Strip Corporation, a member of the Tata Steel Group of Companies, last week at Willard K-8 in Warren, Ohio.  The employees and students gathered together to celebrate literacy and announce a gift of 10,000 new books to the state of Ohio made possible by Tata Steel and Tata Sons North America.  Through its partnership with First Book, Tata Sons was also pleased to announce that it has recently surpassed 100,000 books donated to children nationwide.

Over a dozen volunteers from the Thomas Steel Strip Corp participated along with Mayor Michael J. O’Brien, representatives from Tata Sons, USW Local Union 3523, and Warren City School District.  Volunteers participated in reading circles and activities with first and second grade students from Willard’s reading intervention program through which they receive additional support to improve their reading skills.  To conclude the event, volunteers presented each first and second grader with two books to start their own library – a perfect gift to support the ongoing reading intervention efforts.

“Thomas Steel Strip Corp has been proud resident of Warren since the 1920s,” said William Boyd, General Manager of the Thomas Steel Strip Corp. “The Tata Steel Group of Companies and Tata Sons’ partnership with First Book along with today’s event emphasize the importance placed on giving back to the communities of which we are a part, and highlights our commitment to education by furthering children’s literacy in Ohio.”

“First Book would like to congratulate the Thomas Steel Strip Corp and the Tata Steel Group of Companies for its donation to the state of Ohio, and Tata Sons for reaching a milestone of 100,000 books to children nationwide” said Kyle Zimmer, President and CEO of First Book. “We are pleased to partner with the Tata Steel Group of Companies in its support of children’s literacy throughout Ohio, and First Book’s greater mission of providing new books to children across the United States.”

Volunteers and excited students holding their brand new books.

Posted in Books & Reading

Go Barefoot in November to Help First Book

Nov08
2010 Written by Julia H.

It may be cold outside, but the folks here at First Book know holiday shopping is best done Barefoot.  That’s because our friends at independent children’s publisher Barefoot Books are donating one book to First Book for every purchase made in the month of November.

Since 2004, Barefoot Books has helped First Book put thousands of new books in the hands children in need through literacy organizations, homeless shelters, and Title I schools. “Picture books are essential to helping children explore deeper ways of seeing, sensing and feeling, all critical developmental milestones in the lives of any child, and particularly those who are facing difficult times,” explains Nancy Traversy, Co-founder and CEO, Barefoot Books. “We are pleased to be donating some of our best-selling children’s books, including our new multi-lingual titles, to help children in need have a brighter holiday season and have books they can cherish and learn from long after the holidays are over.”

You can help double the joy this holiday season simply by purchasing a book for a child in your life.  Beautiful titles like Magic Train Ride by Sally Crabtree and I Took the Moon for a Walk by Carolyn Curtis and Alyson Jay are available online at www.barefootbooks.com/shop and at its Flagship Store and Community Center in Concord, Massachusetts.

To learn more about the ways Barefoot Books is helping First Book, please visit http://www.barefootbooks.com/story/giving_back/

Posted in Books & Reading

Support First Book—and help the kids in your life build their own libraries!

Nov05
2010 Written by Julia H.

The holidays are fast approaching and your calendar is filling up. The grocery list grows, the holiday decorations need hanging and the perfect gift needs purchasing. To make things a little easier this holiday season, First Book has partnered with Direct Brands, home to iconic clubs such as Book-of-the-Month Club® and Children’s Book-of-the-Month Club®, to create a great gift that gives back.

The Children’s Classics Collection offers a wonderful set of 12 classic kids’ books that can be sent to a child you know and love. You can choose from as few as 3 months to as many as 12 months, and each month one title will arrive right at their door. (And the kids will love receiving a package especially addressed to them every month.) This very special Collection begins with titles that we all remember from our youths: The Giving Tree, The Velveteen Rabbit and Where the Wild Things Are—and each delivery includes a beautiful gift card with a personal message from you.

As a special bonus, for every book you send, a donation of $1 will be made to First Book. The Children’s Classics Collection is the perfect present for any child and will help them on their way to building their own personal libraries. So this holiday season, give the gift that gives back and help share the joy of reading with your loved ones and those less fortunate.

Please click here to learn more.

Posted in Books & Reading

Loving Reading in Livonia with Tata Technologies

Oct26
2010 Written by Julia H.

On Friday, October 15, 63 very excited first graders from Livonia, Michigan went home with two brand new books. Our partners Tata Technologies and Tata Sons North America brought First Book to Michigan to host a reading event at Garfield Elementary School in Livonia. More than 15 volunteers from Tata Technologies’ offices in Novi, MI, along with representatives from Tata Sons, participated in reading circles and activities with the students, and presented each first grader with two books to start their own library.

The reading event kicked off a book donation of 10,000 books to low-income schools and programs throughout greater Detroit. The gift, made possible by Tata Technologies, will put brand new books in the hands of thousands of children in need. Garfield Elementary School will receive the first 740 of the 10,000 books. One of the two books each kindergarten, first and second grader received was an environmentally conscious story by Allison Inches, entitled I Can Save the Earth. The co-branded book by Tata and First Book taught students why it is important to be good to the earth.

Warren Harris, President/COO of Tata Technologies welcomed volunteers and students, sharing about the importance of reading. Later, all the volunteers made their way to pint-sized chairs or onto carpet squares for reading circles and activities with the students. Mrs. Sander’s class, a very active bunch, even led volunteers in songs and hand games after reading.

“Tata Technologies places great emphasis on giving back to the communities of which we are a part,” said Mr. Harris. “Our partnership with First Book highlights both Tata Technologies’ and Tata’s commitment to promoting literacy, and we are pleased and proud that it has allowed us to help support the schools of the metro Detroit area.”

“We are thrilled with Tata Technologies’ decision to further children’s literacy throughout greater Detroit, and to contribute to First Book’s greater mission of providing new books to children across the United States,” said Kyle Zimmer, President and CEO of First Book. “Together, Tata Technologies and the Tata group of companies are helping to provide the tools children need to realize and attain their dreams.”

President and COO of Tata Technologies, Warren Harris, expresses the importance of reading to first graders at Garfield Elementary in Livonia, MI.

Tata Technologies employees read the Tata co-branded title "I Can Save the Earth" to Garfield's first graders.

Posted in Books & Reading

Cups of Joe and Books to Go

Oct19
2010 Written by Julia H.

Last Wednesday, Eight O’Clock Coffee teamed up with First Book to host a fun-filled day of off-site learning for local second graders at Eight O’Clock Coffee’s Landover, Maryland roasting and packaging facility. At the event, Eight O’Clock also proudly announced the production of 5,000 co-branded copies of the Sesame Street Workshop book, We’re Different, We’re the Same, now available to children nationwide on the First Book Marketplace.

The day’s events included a tour of the plant and reading activities with 63 second graders from nearby Woodridge Elementary School. Students got to see what goes in to every bag of Eight O’Clock Coffee and enjoyed reading We’re Different, We’re the Same with Eight O’Clock Coffee employee volunteers. A tasty Sesame Street-themed lunch followed, and the event ended with each child taking home two brand new books in an Eight O’Clock Coffee tote bag.

“We love hosting the First Book events and spending the day with the kids—they really light up when they get new books,” says Alisa Jacoby, Senior Brand Manager at Eight O’Clock Coffee. About the book We’re Different, We’re the Same, Jacoby adds, “Having recently changed our Eight O’Clock Coffee packaging, we can relate to the idea of being different on the outside, but the same on the inside!”

Through the First Book and Eight O’Clock Coffee partnership, 580 books will be donated to Woodridge Elementary School, two for each student. Kyle Zimmer, President of First Book, commended Eight O’Clock Coffee’s efforts, “Their continued dedication to promoting literacy helps to ensure that all children have ‘the same’ educational resources and opportunities.”

Posted in Books & Reading - Tagged , , ,

Looks like HALLoween here at First Book

Oct12
2010 Written by Julia H.
       Things are getting pretty spooky around here!  Halloween is just around the corner, and all the ghouls and goblins at First Book are getting in the spirit.  Last week, First Book employees decorated their office doors in celebration of the season and the Halloween holiday.  Frankenstein, full moons, graveyards and Goosebumps adorn some doors, while other doors feature fall trees, funny riddles, witches and witty jokes.  Each door looks just BOOtiful!
        Today we awarded prizes to the top three winning door decorations.  Julia F. and Greg’s “First Book Graveyard” door reigned supreme.  Melinda’s comedic door featuring “Scary Things that Happen to Children Whose Parents Didn’t Read to Them Enough” got lots of laughs and a second place finish.  And our accountant Paula’s adorable “Crunching da’ Numbers” design took third.  To see these great designs, check out the pictures of the winning doors below.

First place finisher Julia F with her First Book Graveyard and the golden skeleton trophy.

Our 2nd place finisher Melinda and her door featuring the scary things that happen when parents don't read to their kids enough.

Our accountant Paula crunches the numbers and takes 3rd place.

Posted in Books & Reading

A Pretzel Perfect October

Oct04
2010 Written by Julia H.

October marks the launch of Auntie Anne’s Bookmark fundraising campaign to benefit First Book. The month- long effort, illustrating Auntie Anne’s commitment to community giving and improving literacy, offers Auntie Anne’s customers the opportunity to donate $1 to First Book in exchange for a keepsake bookmark. The bookmark also includes a coupon for $1 off the next purchase.

To make a local impact, the proceeds raised through the bookmark campaign will benefit communities of Auntie Anne’s participating stores. Participating stores have been matched up with low-income schools and programs registered with First Book, and proceeds will enable these schools and programs to purchase books on the First Book Marketplace. So visit your local Auntie Anne’s store today, enjoy a delicious pretzel and help support First Book and the programs we serve.

Posted in First Book Partners - Tagged , , ,

Wyoming Gets Wild About Books

Sep21
2010 Written by Julia H.

A General Chemical employee reading I Can Save the Earth to a Sage Elementary Student.

On September 14, 2010, representatives from Tata Sons North America, General Chemical Industrial Products (General Chemical) and the United Steelworkers Union No. 15320 gathered at Sage Elementary School in Rock Springs, Wyoming for a First Book Reading Party. There they announced a gift of 750 brand new books to Sage and a donation of 5,000 new books to the state of Wyoming.

General Chemical’s Plant Manager Randy Pitts, Human Resources Director, John Christian, and Manager, Debbie Davis, along with Anjali Sharan of Tata Sons joined other General Chemical and United Steelworkers representatives at the Reading Party. Green River Mayor, Hank Castillon, along with Sweetwater County Commissioner, Paula Wonnacott and Suzanne Martin, Title 1 director of Sweetwater County School District No. 1 also attended the celebration. Employees and public officials alike participated in reading circles, activities with students, and presented each first grader with two books to start their own library.

A General Chemical employee reading with students at the First Book Reading Party.

One of the two books the students received was an environmentally conscious story by Allison Inches, I Can Save the Earth. The book, co-branded by Tata and First Book, features Max, a Little Green Monster who is an environmental nightmare. His excessive ways end up causing a power outage, and Max soon discovers a whole big world outside. The students followed Max’s journey to environmental awareness and learn tips on how they too could become little green monsters. Each student took their new books home in branded bags provided by General Chemical.

By the events end, the employee volunteers appeared to have enjoyed themselves as much as the students. “General Chemical Industrial Products is thrilled to give back to the community in which we have worked and lived for over 40 years,” said Plant Manager Randy Pitts. “We are honored to help further children’s literacy throughout Wyoming, and to contribute to First Book’s greater mission of providing new books to children in need across the United States.”

“We applaud General Chemical Industrial Products and their commitment to promoting literacy,” said Kyle Zimmer, President and CEO of First Book. “Together, General Chemical and the Tata group of companies are helping to provide the tools children need to realize and attain their dreams.”

Posted in First Book Events, First Book Partners - Tagged , , , ,

International Literacy Day

Sep08
2010 Written by Julia H.

In 2008, 796 million adults worldwide, 15 years and older, reported not being able to read and write; 64% of them were women.  Additionally, 131 million youth worldwide lacked basic reading and writing skills.

To promote awareness and highlight the importance of literacy, the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) proclaimed September 8th International Literacy Day.  First celebrated in 1967, International Literacy Day is intended to remind the international community of the status of literacy and adult global learning.

For the 2010 celebration, UNESCO is emphasizing Women’s Literacy.  UNESCO Director General, Irina Bokova commented, READ MORE »

Posted in Books & Reading, General, Literacy, Literacy Links and Articles - Tagged , ,