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.
To kick-off First Book’s new charitable partnership with the world’s largest pretzel company Auntie Anne’s, First Book staff attended the 15th Annual Auntie Anne’s C.A.R.E.S. Benefit Golf Tournament on Monday, July 12th. The tournament, hosted in Hershey, Pennsylvania by the Auntie Anne’s C.A.R.E.S. Committee (Community Action Requires Employee Support) , benefitted First Book as well as the Boys and Girls Club of Lancaster and Christ’s Home for Children (Lancaster County).
More than 300 participants, consisting of vendors, suppliers, employees, and friends of Auntie Anne’s, teed off at the Hershey Country Club and Hershey Links Monday afternoon. First Book staff enjoyed the opportunity to spend the day talking and sharing their mission with the C.A.R.E.S. Committee and their terrific colleagues. Unfortunately, as the afternoon rolled on, the clouds rolled in. But while the greens may have been dampened, spirits were not, and the good times continued that evening at dinner. The dinner celebrated Auntie Anne’s ongoing dedication to community giving.
During dinner, Auntie Anne’s presented First Book with a generous gift of $32,500. An additional $32,500 was split between the Boys and Girls Club of Lancaster and Christ’s Home for Children. First Book President, Kyle Zimmer, was on hand to accept the check. Graciously thanking Auntie Anne’s and the attendees for their generosity, she explained that through their support First Book will be able to provide new books to more children in Pennsylvania’s highest need communities.
Stefanie Stamatopoulos, CARES Committee Chair; Sam Gershenfeld, The Coca-Cola Company; Kyle Zimmer, President and CEO of First Book; William P. Dunn, Jr., President & COO, Auntie Anne's, Inc.; Sam Beiler, Chairman & CEO, Auntie Anne's, Inc.
We would like to extend our sincere thanks to Auntie Anne’s for hosting this exciting event. We appreciate their enthusiasm for supporting First Book and promoting literacy in communities across the country. First Book looks forward to growing this promising partnership.
