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Over twenty years ago I was volunteering every week at a soup kitchen in Washington, D.C., where I met the most amazing children and families. As I got to know them, I saw how much they had to struggle, but I also saw how bright they were and how motivated they were to succeed.

I also learned that most of them didn’t have a single book to call their own, and that broke my heart.

So, along with two good friends, I started First Book, to make sure those kids, and kids like them all across the country, would have brand-new books of their own, and to make sure that the teachers and program leaders working with these children every day would have the books and resources they need to do their jobs.

Twenty years later, First Book has distributed over 90 million books to kids in need, we work with a national network of over 25,000 schools and programs and we have local volunteers raising money in over 150 cities. Volunteers, corporate partners and publishers, working hand-in-hand with teachers, librarians and local nonprofit leaders … it humbles and amazes me how much we’ve been able to accomplish together, and how many lives we’ve been able to change for the better.

But we’ve only just scratched the surface. There are 30 million children living in low-income households in the United States, and we’re only reaching a fraction of them. They’re waiting for us, and they can’t wait any longer.

So we’ve got some big plans to celebrate our 20th anniversary. Before this year is over, we’re going to distribute another 10 million new books, recruit local volunteers in 30 additional cities, and double the number of schools and programs that are connected to First Book’s resources, from 25,000 to 50,000.

We’ve come so far together, and have made so much progress, but there’s more to be done. Join us!

• Donate: Every $2.50 pays for a brand-new, high-quality book for a child in need.
• Volunteer: Work with other members of your community to get books to local schools and programs.
• Spread the word: If you know a teacher, librarian or volunteer who works with kids from low-income families, in any kind of program, help get them signed up with First Book. We’ve got books for them!

Today is Friendiversary, when we celebrate the anniversary of our friendships. Think of one of your oldest and dearest friends. When did you first meet? How did you meet? That story is the story of your Friendiversary.

First Book is celebrating Friendiversary this week by providing 7,000 new Elephant & Piggie books to second-graders at Title I schools in Louisiana and Massachusetts. The Elephant & Piggie series is written and illustrated by our friend Mo Willems, whose support makes it possible for First Book able to provide these books. Every book includes a special Friendiversary note from Mo, and his publisher, Disney Publishing Worldwide, is also providing activity kits, stickers and posters free of charge to each classroom.

In fact, we’re so delighted with the Friendiversary kit that we also made it available to all the schools and programs in First Book’s national network.

There are Friendiversary parties happening in classrooms and programs all over today … or tomorrow, or last weekend. We’re pretty flexible on when you actually celebrate Friendiversary.

The biggest party we’ve heard about so far took place in New Orleans, at James Singleton Charter School. (Mo grew up in New Orleans, and has a special place in his heart for New Orleans kids, so making sure they all had copies of his books was important to him.)

Lynetta Rhodes, the chair of the local First Book volunteer group in New Orleans, helped put the party together. She sent us some great pictures, and filled us in on all the details:

• Every student got two copies of Mo’s books to keep, including There’s a Bird On Your Head, Are You Ready to Play Outside?, Today I Will Fly and Should I Share My Ice Cream?. (“I can’t believe I got two books!” one of the students told Lynetta).
• There were all kinds of local celebrity guests on hand to read with the kids, including New Orleans city councilmember Susan Guidry, children’s author Robin Washington, Louisiana State Rep. Wesley Bishop and TV reporter Rosa Flores.
• There was plenty of ice cream.

“The children looked adorable in their ‘Elephant and Piggie’ ears and the costumed characters made the kids shout with glee,” said Dianne de Las Casas, who hosted and helped plan the event. “Friendiversary at James Singleton Charter School was a great success.”

Happy Friendiversary, everyone!

If you work with kids from low-income families, you can be a part of Friendiversary and other great events and opportunities throughout the year. Sign up with First Book to find out how we can help you get new books for your kids.

First Book distributed eight million brand-new books to kids in need this year. That’s a LOT of books, and those books have the power to change a lot of lives.

And, with your help, we want to do even more in the year to come!

Donate now to provide new books to kids in need through First Book

Every $2.50 you donate goes to provide a brand-new book to a kid in need, helping them become a reader and changing their life. And your impact will go even further this year – through Dec. 31, our friends at Disney Publishing Worldwide will match every $1 donated with another new book. Pretty great stuff.

Thanks to all of you for your continued support of First Book and the children who are counting on us.

Yesterday we went to Nashville and picked up 50 cases of books for our organization that serves special needs and will be delivering them tomorrow at our basketball signups.

This is going to be such an amazing thing for these special children and I can’t wait to see the smiles on their faces when they get an early Christmas present of these wonderful books.

Rick Ryan
Challenged Athletes Playing Equally (C.A.P.E.)
Murfreesboro, TN
www.capetn.org

I just can’t believe all the books I got this morning!!!  I do believe I got everything I asked for and more. We know that doesn’t often happen in this game of life.   I’ve gotten books before, but never like  this.  I thank you for offering this opportunity and look forward to some great book clubs and organizing a book give away with our kids at Warner.  We’d love to have you back in Nashville anytime!

On behalf of the students and teachers at Warner….thanks so much!
 
Mona Bruey
Library Media Specialist
Warner Enhanced Option School
Nashville, Tenn.

One of the ways First Book gets new books into the hands of children from low-income families is through the National Book Bank. Publishers donate new books to First Book, and we distribute them to schools and programs around the country.

Our publishing partners have been even more generous than usual lately, so our National Book Bank team is working overtime, traveling to donated warehouse spaces from coast to coast.

Book distributions are one of our favorite things – we get to meet the teachers and program leaders, hear about the kids they work with, and load up their cars (and trucks and school-buses and even horse trailers) with boxes of new books.

But they are exhausting – a week of 12-hour days spent moving more boxes than you can imagine. Our staff and volunteers give it their all, especially our National Book Bank managers, Katie and Anna, who are in Nashville and St. Joseph, Mo. this week, and traveling (without so much as a day off) to St. Louis and Casa Grande, Ariz.

So thank you to all the amazing local volunteers that show up at warehouses to help get these books to where they need to go, and thank you to all the hard-working educators and community leaders who make sure every book gets into the hands of a child who will take it home and read it again and again.

PS – If you’re on Twitter, drop Anna (@AnnaInTheCity) and Katie (@IAmNotNancy) a note and tell them to keep up the good work!

“The First Book Marketplace is trying to do for publishing what micro-finance did for banking: crack open a vast potential market that is underserved at significant social cost.” — David Bornstein, The New York Times

We’re excited to announce a major upgrade to the First Book Marketplace! As of today, schools and programs who rely on First Book to get new books for the kids they serve will be able to do so more quickly, easily and effectively.

The teachers and program leaders we work with do amazing things every day, and we’re always working to find new and better ways to help them in their important work.

We’ve listened to feedback from many of the 27,000 programs in our national network, and made some big changes, including things like easier log-ins, a friendlier account management system, improved search capabilities, wish lists and an easier system for spending grant money. We’ve also added tons of great new books; we’re up to 2,000 titles and adding more all the time.

If you work with kids from low-income families, or know someone who does, check out the new and improved First Book Marketplace, and sign up with First Book today to get great new books for the kids you serve.

From everyone at First Book, a hearty welcome and a sincere ‘thank you’ to all our new followers on Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr, and an equally heartfelt ‘thank you’ to all our supporters and partners who shared last week’s social media message far and wide.

Thanks to all of you, we gained over 33,000 new followers on social media, and – true to their word – our friends at Random House Children’s Books will be donating 33,000 new books to First Book to distribute to kids in need all across the country. Outstanding work! Gold stars all around!

But many of you might be wondering “So what?”

30 Million Kids in Need

It’s a fair question. Is that a lot of books, in context? Where do they go? Do they have a meaningful impact? What about used books, e-books, library books, reading programs and a thousand other things?

At First Book, we recognize the complexity and intractability of the problem. There are 30 million children living in low-income families in the United States, and those kids don’t have a lot of things that other kids do. Economic security, physical safety, adequate food, shelter and healthcare … the list is long, daunting and hurts to think about.

One thing we know is that a solid, comprehensive education is the best chance many of those kids have at succeeding in life. Another thing we know is that there are hundreds of thousands of unbelievably dedicated teachers, volunteers and community program leaders working their hearts out every day to provide those educations. It’s not an easy job, and there are no guarantees.

But without basic tools, that hard job is a lot harder. Which is where First Book comes in.

Books to Kids Who Need Them

We work with great publishers, like Random House, to get books. Some are donated, and some we buy, but the critical thing is that they are high-quality, and there are a lot of them; last year we distributed 8 million new books. (There are lots of great programs that deal with gently-used and donated books, and we support and applaud them, but for what we’re trying to do, we need to be able to offer educators large quantities of new books. It’s important.)

Those books go to schools and programs all over the country. They’re used in classrooms and in libraries, at after-school programs and tutoring programs, at food banks and homeless shelters, church groups, Head Start programs and public charter schools. First Book works with 27,000 programs, but we know we’re just scratching the surface.

So that’s what. You did a little tiny bit of good when you clicked that button or shared that Twitter message, and lots of little tiny bits of good can add up to something real. It’s a big effort, and the stakes are unimaginably high, so we’re glad you’re here.

If you’d like to learn more about First Book’s mission and the amazing people we work with, visit firstbook.org and sign up for our monthly email newsletter.

I received the Hooked on Phonics yesterday. I was so excited and I just wanted to thank First Book. These kits will be well-used by the children in my hometown. Most of them could not afford such a kit, and I know it will make a significant difference in their lives. There is no library here, or any other such place.

Dover Summer Read’s office will be a place where the kids will be able to read books, use a computer, and work on these exercises.

Thank you again from the children of Dover, NC and Dover Summer Read.

Cynthia Baker
Founder and President
Dover Summer Read

“Our kids don’t get to have dreams, aspirations, hopes. They can’t even think about college; it’s not in their minds. That’s why these books are so important. Books are the beginning of everything. You learn about other places, you learn about the world.”

– Angela Fedele of the WE CAN Program, a statewide program based in Princeton, W.Va., that provides volunteer mentors for at-risk kids

Angela Fedele is one of the many teachers and program leaders who spend their days doing everything they can to help West Virginia’s kids. At First Book, our mission is to do everything we can to help people like Angela.

By signing up with First Book, Angela was able to provide $3,000 worth of new books for the children in her program, thanks to a combination of grant money and support from local First Book volunteers.

First Book works with programs across the country, but we have a special place in our hearts for West Virginia. We’ve provided 294,228 brand-new books to children in need across the state, and plan to distribute 14,000 more by the end of the summer, thanks in part to a federal grant from the Department of Education.

In addition, we’re launching a new partnership with the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) to ensure that more kids have the books and resources they need. We’ll be announcing more details about this partnership soon, but we had a great kick-off last week in Charleston. Together with our friends at the AFT, we provided new books, along with grants to purchase more, to two local schools – West Side Elementary and Stonewall Jackson Middle School.

Help us get the word out, West Virginia! If you work for a school or program that serves children from low-income families, or if you’d like to help your child’s teacher or program leader get new books, sign up with First Book. And if you’d like to join one of our local volunteer groups, we’d love to hear from you.

Dearest amazing First Book friends!

Your efforts to break the chains that hold children back is so inspiring. My organization, Gift A Book Foundation, is so happy to be a member of First Book!! A simple thank you surely doesn’t seen adequate.

First Book’s work lives on in the lives of children who would otherwise be forgotten.

Blessings & Peace,
Paulette Greenfield
Gift A Book Foundation

You can learn more about the Gift A Book Foundation and the amazing work they do here.

We can’t tell you how satisfying it is help people like Paulette make a difference in the lives of the children she serves. Join us!

“What a great program today! The smiles on the children’s faces when they received their books; the excitement they had getting the First Book shirts, and how proud they were wearing them; seeing the enthusiasm of the volunteers reading to the students … Thank you for the program and putting more books in our children’s hands.” — MaryAnn Amato , VTCS teacher

Last week, First Book staffers went to visit Vitalistic Therapeutic Charter School (VTCS) in Bethlehem, Pa., where each student received three brand-new books of their own. VTCS also received a $1,000 credit for the First Book Marketplace to fill the shelves of their library.

VTCS is one of 60 schools and programs in the Lehigh Valley serving low-income children that received grants. Altogether, 10,000 new books will go to Lehigh Valley schools, all paid for through the grants (made possible by our friends at C&S Wholesale Grocers).

The First Book team had a great time with the kids from VTCS, and so did all the local C&S Wholesale Grocers employees who showed up. We even made the news.

First Book distributes new books (80 million and counting) to kids from low-income communities all over the U.S. and Canada, but we do have a special place in our heart for schools and programs in Washington D.C. Not only are they are neighbors, but First Book got its start here in the District of Columbia 19 years ago.

So we were pleased to be able to provide grants to twenty schools and programs serving low-income kids here in Washington D.C.

Many schools in D.C. face the same lack of resources that affect so many programs serving children in low-income neighborhoods. Most public high school libraries have eleven books per student, but the library at Ballou High School has less than a tenth of that. The library at Woodrow Wilson High School no longer has a single fiction title. And the D.C. public high school for incarcerated youth has no library at all.

“Our needs are very great,” said Melissa Jackson, Ballou’s librarian. “We’re trying to build our nonfiction and fiction collections, so whatever we can get from First Book we will gladly accept.”

“We’ve recorded about 16,000 books over the last twelve years,” said Carol Fennelly of Hope House, a program that records videos of incarcerated D.C. fathers reading for their children. “And probably 50% to 75% of those books come have come from First Book.”

Each school or program received a grant of 500 free books from the First Book National Book Bank and $1,575 to spend on the First Book Marketplace, an online store serving eligible schools and programs in First Book’s network.

The books were made possible thanks to the support of the Philip L. Graham Fund.

“We will use these books for many purposes,” said Abraham Clayman of KIPP DC: LEAP Academy, a charter school that serves three-, four- and five-year-olds in the District. “We send them home with families, we put them in classroom libraries, teachers use them. I want to say thanks to First Book … we’re really excited about what we’re doing.”

Last week, First Book staffers, along with volunteers from our friends at Barclays, visited Girls Prep Bronx Elementary School in New York City, and brought along some books.

The Barclays volunteers joined kindergartners in their classrooms and read Penguin Chick Grows Up, Dr. Seuss’ My Many Colored Days, and the special Barclays edition of Bunny Money.  At the end of the reading period, the students were excited to learn that they would each be taking home the three new books in a Barclays backpack.  One classroom even sang a song to the volunteers to thank them for visiting and bringing new books.

This is the second time that Barclays has visited a Girls Prep school; last year, volunteers read to students at the Girls Prep Lower East Side Elementary School and also provided them with a book grant to the First Book Marketplace.  Girls Prep Lower East Side Middle School will also be one of the first First Book recipient groups to receive a Barclays book grant for use on the First Book Marketplace Graduation and College Readiness section.

We register new schools and programs at First Book every day; the more programs we can reach, the more good we can do, the more efficient our efforts become and the more easily we can provide high-quality new books.

Last week, a program called The Aunt Rudy Fund registered with First Book. They serve children at The Neighborhood School and Cornerstone Preparatory School, both located in Memphis, Tennessee, and every book they give away includes a bookplate telling the story of Aunt Rudy, in whose memory the fund was started.

Candy Canzoneri shared the story with us, and we thought it was so sweet and charming that we wanted to share it with you:

Every Kid Needs an Aunt Rudy

When I was growing up, my favorite day of the week was Saturday. It was the day my Aunt Rudy rode the bus to downtown Memphis to pay her bills or do whatever shopping she needed. When I got old enough, Aunt Rudy took me along with her.

We’d catch the bus on Southern Avenue, near Buntyn Station. When we went down the Parkways, Aunt Rudy told me stories about riding horses on the bridal paths that used to run along the grassy dividers.

It was a wonderful adventure. We’d do her shopping, have lunch, and then came the best part. Our day always ended in the Book Department at Goldsmith’s. I was allowed to pick out any book I wanted and take it home. This wasn’t just a library book I’d have to read and return, this was a book of my own. Forever.

I still have those books, acquired one by one, week by week: the Black Stallion series, a whole set of Nancy Drew and countless others. I’m all grown up now, but I often read the books my Aunt Rudy gave me many years ago. She gave me the best gift: books. And through books, a love of reading and learning.

When Aunt Rudy died, I thought how lucky I’d been to have her as one of my aunts. And then I thought how unlucky other kids were not to have an Aunt Rudy. Every kid needs and Aunt Rudy. And so, in her memory, here is a book for you. Forever.

Did you ever have an Aunt Rudy in your life? If so, leave a comment below and tell us all about it. Or consider supporting First Book in our efforts to help programs like The Aunt Rudy Fund.

At First Book, we like to say that we add “rocket fuel” to local programs of all kinds. That is to say, we work with programs that reach children in need all across the country and help them get the resources they need to carry out their critical missions.

Our friend Jonathan Strausberg of Jewish Women International (JWI) recently shared some of his experiences with the group’s National Library Initiative, a program intended to establish 100 children’s libraries in homeless and battered women’s shelters across the United States.

The impact that books can have on the children who find themselves in these shelters is profound. As Strausberg (who shares our belief in the transformative power of books) writes: “For the children who live in domestic violence shelters, they need this relief and inspiration more than anyone else. They’ve been traumatized during the most formative time in their life. They need to feel normal, they deserve it.”

First Book has worked with JWI on the library project for years; many of the books that line the shelves of these libraries come from the First Book Marketplace. This is only a fraction of the immense effort made by heroic groups like the JWI all over the world, but it’s one that we’re proud to be a part of.

2010 was a big year for First Book, and we couldn’t have done it without you. Thanks to our friends, fans, and generous supporters, we have a lot to celebrate.

Here are some of the cool things you helped make possible this past year:

We Reached the Milestone of 80 Million Books
At our annual Book Bash fund-raiser in New York City, we handed a basket of books to Round the Clock Nursery. One of the books in that basket was the 80 millionth book that First Book has distributed to kids in need since our founding in 1992.

We Shared the Stage With World Leaders
Kyle Zimmer, our president and co-founder, spoke at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Kyle discussed the impact and importance of the First Book Marketplace as a leading model for social entrepreneurship.

We Worked in Our Local Communities
Local First Book volunteer groups (known as Advisory Boards) in cities, towns and counties nationwide helped distribute $3 million worth of new books to kids in their communities.

We Teamed Up With ‘Reading is Fundamental’
First Book and Reading is Fundamental (RIF) joined forces to provide 600,000 new books to children in RIF programs across the country.

We Added New Books to Our Marketplace
We added lots of great new titles to our online Marketplace – including authors like Eric Carle, Jeff Kinney, Susan Meddaugh, Mo Willems and many others – so teachers and program leaders have even more choices.

We Got People to See Waiting for “Superman”
First Book was excited to kick off the pledge campaign as a promotional partner for this powerful documentary film.

We Released Special Editions
First Book continued one of our favorite traditions this year, releasing several new special editions, including Mo Willems’ Elephant & Piggie books and Eileen Spinelli’s ‘While You Are Away’.

We Distributed One Million Books With Target
To celebrate the launch of the ‘Read With Me’ campaign, Target helped us distribute one million new books to schools across the country. When a million people pledge to commit to read with a child, Target will provide another million books.

We Read a Lot of Short Stories
Volunteers from First Book’s local Advisory Boards read nearly 8,000 stories submitted through the Cheerios® New Author Contest in order to pick the top 25. That’s more than twice as many submissions as last year!  (Check back in March to read the winning entry).

We Helped Kids Learn About Science and Math<

First Book Advisory Boards (ABs) are committees of volunteers that implement the First Book mission in their local communities by raising money and providing books grants to programs that serve children in need.  Here are a few stories that highlight the great work being done by First Book Advisory Boards across the country.

First Book-Sussex Valley, NJ participated in a local community event and raised money to grant books to community children. During Second Saturday, a local fair in downtown Newton, New Jersey, the advisory board sold raffle tickets for a brown bear quilt to provide new books to Sussex County children.

First Book-Mahoning Valley, OH recently participated in the Austintown Library’s Princess party, a gathering for local girls that raised money for children’s programs at the library, and also created tiaras to give to the local hospital. First Book-Mahoning Valley provided copies of “Harold and the Purple Crayon” to attendees.

First Book- Clallam County, WA recently partnered up with the First Step Family Support Center’s Read First Program to provide books for a family pajama party night.  Attendees watched a free showing of “Charlotte’s Web” and each family received a new book to take home.

First Book is always seeking energetic, entrepreneurial volunteers to join our Advisory Boards or to help us start new ones.  If you’d like to get involved, please see the In Your Community section of the First Book website.

First Book Advisory Boards (ABs) are committees of volunteers that implement the First Book mission in their local communities by raising money and providing books grants to programs that serve children in need.  Here are a few stories that highlight the great work being done by First Book Advisory Boards across the country.

First Book-Clearfield County, PA recently held a book distribution for children in the Clearfield County, Pennsylvania area. Each child who attended received a free book and got to meet Clifford the Big Red Dog. The Advisory Board worked with local groups to make the event possible.

First Book-Cumberland County, NJ’s founding member, Ashleigh Udalovas, has recently been named the Outstanding Citizen for October by The Greater Millville Chamber of Commerce. Along with starting her local advisory board, Ashleigh is the reigning Miss New Jersey. Ashleigh uses her position to promote her platform, “Read to Succeed: Improving America’s Future Through Literacy.” Congratulations, Ashleigh!

First Book-Greater Richmond, VA recently granted Beulah Elementary School 3,992 books, enough to provide 6 books for every eligible student this year. The grant was celebrated at the Books & Breakfast event, where every child was able to choose a book to read and take home.

First Book-Horry County, SC recently teamed up with their local Barnes & Noble to present the American Girl Tea Party & Book Fair. The event was in the style of a tea party for young girls and their American Girl dolls to celebrate the new InnerStar University doll for 2010. A portion of the sales made during the event along with the money raised from a raffle for an American Girl doll went to benefit First Book.

In preparation for their celebration of Awareness Week, November 8-13, First Book-Rhodes College, TN was featured in the Rhodes College News.  “One of our big goals this year is to focus on Awareness Week,” co-chair Jerica Sandifer ’12 says. “We [want to] move from just being a fundraising organization to being an advocacy organization too. We are getting at the root cause of illiteracy.”

First Book is always seeking energetic, entrepreneurial volunteers to join our Advisory Boards or to help us start new ones.  If you’d like to get involved, please see the In Your Community section of the First Book website.

First Book Advisory Boards (ABs) are committees of volunteers that implement the First Book mission in their local communities by raising money and providing books grants to programs that serve children in need.  Here are a few stories that highlight the great work being done by First Book Advisory Boards across the country.

First Book-East Coachella Valley, CA’s own Kathy Kronemeyer was recently spotlighted in The Desert Sun for her work in the Desert Sands Unified School District. After retiring last year, Kronemeyer began volunteering in the afterschool program at Jackson School, directing both the drama and technology clubs there, along with serving on her local First Book Advisory Board. We thank Ms. Kronemeyer for her support of First Book and education!

First Book-Bakersfield, CA announced their fall book distribution for pre-K to 2nd grade classes in Kern County.  Applications are being accepted until September 24th. Since 2001, First Book-Bakersfield has granted more than 14,000 books to young students in Kern County.

Misericorida University was recently ranked by Washington Monthly magazine as being in the top 12% of  college and universities for stressing social mobility of students and service to the greater community. Misericordia students ranked fourth in the nation for community involvement. First-Book Misericordia is a great example of how Misericordia students are giving back to their communities!

First Book-Sussex County, NJ hosted a book reading and signing event at An Open Book Bookstore on September 12th. The event featured five children’s authors: Wendy Mass, Lee Harper, Irene Breznak, Dianne Ochiltree and Alison Formento. A $5 donation for each family will go to the Advisory Board so they can grant books to local programs in Sussex County, New Jersey.

First Book is always seeking energetic, entrepreneurial volunteers to join our Advisory Boards or to help us start new ones.  If you’d like to get involved, please see the In Your Community section of the First Book website.

Bess the Book Bus is nearing the end of her second nationwide outreach that will cover 36 states and deliver 27,000 books into the hands of children who otherwise may not have been able to experience the joy of owning their very own book.

Our trip began at the end of April and will end in the middle of September. This leg of the trip has taken us to areas such as Pittsburgh and Camden, NJ, two of the most underserved areas on this trip so far. We partnered with Transitions Lenses and VSP to bring both healthy sight and free books to the Boys and Girls Clubs there. Thanks to the support of Candlewick Press, Townsend Press, and our great friends at First Book, Bess is overflowing with brand new books, all of which were free.

Throughout this trip, it has been thrilling to see the dedication of the parents, guardians, and teachers as we cross the USA.  One parent walked her children two miles after seeing us on the morning news. She couldn’t believe that someone-anyone was in her neighborhood offering free eye exams, glasses with Transitions lenses, and free books. Both of her children ended up needing and receiving glasses. They also left with armloads of brand new books and ear-to-ear smiles. In fact several parents and grandparents rushed their kids to our event after hearing that we were in the neighborhood, and almost all of them needed and received glasses. Thanks to our partners at Transitions Lenses and VSP and to the doctors volunteering their time, our kids will also now have the healthy sight they deserve as each child is getting eye exams and free glasses when needed.  The look on the parents’ faces was one of tangible relief.  Even better, the kids came out of the mobile vision clinic full of pride, flaunting their new glasses.

Today we are in Maine, headed to Houlton where we will partner with Aid for Kids to put on a literacy fair. Thanks to First Book and the DOE, Bess will have 4,000 brand new books on board to give away in Maine alone. The kids are going to be so excited when they find out they will each receive up to five new books!

As I pack my bags and get ready to hit the road this morning I am filled with gratitude. We are happy to report that reading is alive and well in this country as is the excitement kids have for picking the just right brand new book they have been waiting for or finding that cherished favorite. I can hardly believe that this is my life; that so many great people surround me and that I have the opportunity to live my dream of spreading the joy of reading. I am also hopeful. I hope that one day all of our kids will have equal access to these very basic tools, things that they should already have and will need to succeed in school and in life.

First Book Advisory Boards (ABs) are committees of volunteers that implement the First Book mission in their local communities by raising money and providing books grants to programs that serve children in need.  Here are a few stories that highlight the great work being done by First Book Advisory Boards across the country.

First Book-Erie, PA was recently highlighted for their work with another organization called Books for Kids to grant books to a local program.  “Odessa’s Place”, the recipient of the books, hosts a summer program for children in Erie.

First Book-Greater New Orleans announced they are accepting grant applications from local programs that are registered with First Book.  The Board also hosted a Get Hooked on Books event on August 6th.  The event included a book distribution, celebrity story readers, entertainment and refreshments.

The Dollar General Literacy Foundation made awards to 10 literacy programs in Charles County, MD including First Book-Charles County to distribute books to children in need. Congratulations, First Book-Charles County!

To help kick off Philadelphia’s summer service challenge “Let’s Read, Let’s Move,” First Book is distributing 170,000 books to children from low-income families in Philadelphia. This further expands the presence of First Book in Philadelphia.  Last year, First Book-Philadelphia served 3,334 children in Philadelphia by providing 21,568 books.

First Book is always seeking energetic, entrepreneurial volunteers to join our Advisory Boards or to help us start new ones.  If you’d like to get involved, please see the In Your Community section of the First Book website.

Guest Blogger: Susan M. Blackstock, Assistant Vice President, SunTrust Mortgage, Inc.

Today is the first day of school in metro-Atlanta.  Public school students will be exchanging their swim goggles and computer game controllers for book bags and lunch boxes as they head off to school this week.  With a little help from friends, many students at McLendon Elementary in DeKalb County will be starting their school year with brand new backpacks, books and school supplies today.

SunTrust, headquartered in Atlanta and one of the nation’s largest banking organizations, recently introduced an internal program, Solid Gives Back, which enables its teammates to have an even greater impact on their communities through their volunteer efforts.  As the program rolled out, the senior management team challenged each division to identify their own give-back initiative.  SunTrust Mortgage’s Atlanta region accepted the challenge, and Solid Gives Back(packs) was born.

With a goal of helping students at Title I schools have the tools they need to be successful in school, SunTrust Mortgage teammates personally sponsored the purchase of 300 backpacks and over 18,000 various school supplies.  Then, SunTrust Mortgage teammates sorted the supplies, stuffed the backpacks and even included a handwritten note of encouragement to each child receiving a backpack.

Many of the personal notes encouraged the children to read.  What better way to do that than with their very own books?  SunTrust Mortgage turned to their long-time partner First Book and asked them to provide a book for each of the backpacks.  First Book was glad to respond to the request, and seven boxes of books later, an assortment of titles were added to the backpacks.  What a terrific way for two partners to help each other help others!

Smiles broke out on the children’s faces as they received their backpacks.  For many, it was their first time receiving a backpack or book of their very own.  Teachers were thrilled for what it means to their classrooms to have students prepared for class, eager to learn, beginning the first day of school.  Parents were excited for their children and the opportunities that lie ahead for them.  SunTrust Mortgage and First Book are proud to have been a part of this momentous day and wish all students the very best for the new school year.

Students of McLendon Elementary receive new backpacks filled with books and school supplies.