Words by Smiley Team
First Book is a national, nonprofit social company dedicated to providing equal access to quality education for kids in need.
Since 1992, First Book has distributed more than 200 million books and educational resources to programs and schools serving low-income children. It currently reaches an average of 5 million children per year and supports more than a third of the estimated 1.3 million classrooms and programs serving underserved children.
For children in need, First Book believes that education is the best path out of poverty.
The charity supports the full child's needs, including education, basic necessities, and wellness – all of which are critical to educational equity. Their member network of over 525,000 educators who only serve children in need have access to all of these tools.
One of the many resources that they provide is their National Book Bank – books and educational resources in the bank are generously donated by publishing partners and are available to First Book Members for the cost of shipping and handling — the books are FREE. These items can also be found throughout the Marketplace.
[Read more: Dolly Parton’s library gifts free books to kids]
Children in poverty do not have access to books and resources, which have an impact on everything from psychological wellbeing to academic success. The importance of books and materials cannot be overstated. One of the most significant drivers to educational inequality in the United States is a lack of proper resources.
The mere presence of books in the house has been shown to increase educational outcomes. Reading interest, academic and writing performance, and language development have all been demonstrated to be positively correlated with books and resources.
Despite this, literature and resources for underprivileged children are scant, putting them at a disadvantage from the outset. According to research, there are enormous 'book deserts' in low-income areas across the United States, with one neighborhood having only one book to share among as many as 830 youngsters.
Children who discover the joy of reading not only perform better in school, but also have a more exciting life ahead of them. First Book is assisting in instilling a love of reading in so many deserving children.
First Book is always looking for volunteers. No matter how one choose to participate, he/she/they can make a significant impact.
To learn more about volunteering or partnering, you can go to Firstbook.org to get involved.
