WASHINGTON, Aug. 18, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Our
nation is reeling from the unrest in Charlottesville and the
hateful rhetoric that is reverberating across the country. These
groups and their acts of bigotry, racism, anti-Semitism, sexism,
Islamophobia, transphobia, and homophobia are repulsive and counter
to our belief in the fundamental rights that First Book has
championed as leaders in the fight for educational equity.
Among those most vulnerable to this climate of violence and
terror are our nation's children, in particular, children from
low-income areas, including communities of color, immigrants, rural
communities, and other underserved populations. First Book stands
with these communities every day, providing desperately needed
educational resources and supporting the heroic educators and other
caring adults who work to lift these children up. These outrageous
acts of hate are not only antithetical to all we believe in, but do
insidious and lasting damage to these children, families, and
communities – and to all of us.
First Book is committed to supporting those working in the lives
of children in need with resources to help kids and families who
are struggling. First Book will shortly announce an initiative to
increase the supply of books and educational resources to elevate
empathy and understanding, including diverse and inclusive books,
and social and emotional learning guides to help children navigate
their feelings and fears.
As a tangible next step, we are making a gift of new books to
educators serving children in need in the Charlottesville area and
beyond to help them begin to restore a sense of normalcy. We are in
continuous conversation with our more than 325,000 First Book
members across the country – the largest network of educators
serving children from low-income communities – as to what they need
and how we can best support them during this time.
We have seen first-hand the power of stories to blunt hate,
create empathy, and change lives. That is our focus. Our
responsibility to these children, families, educators, and
communities is unwavering. As we reach this new level of crisis in
our country, we are reminded that this work – while always
important – has reached a new level of urgency.
About First Book
First Book transforms the lives of
children in need. Through a sustainable, market-driven model, First
Book is creating equal access to quality education — making
everything from brand-new, high-quality books and educational
resources, to sports equipment, winter coats, snacks, and more –
affordable to its member network of more than 325,000 educators who
exclusively serve kids in need. Since 1992, First Book has
distributed more than 160 million books and educational resources
to programs and schools serving children from low-income families
in more than 30 countries. First Book currently reaches an average
of 3 million children every year and supports more than one in four
of the estimated 1.3 million classrooms and
programs serving children in need. With an additional 1,000
educators joining each week, First Book is the largest and
fastest-growing network of educators in the United States exclusively serving kids in
need.
Eligible educators, librarians, providers, and others serving
children in need can sign up at firstbook.org/register. For
more information, please visit firstbook.org or follow
the latest news on Facebook and Twitter.
Contact: Melanie Boyer, First
Book
mboyer@firstbook.org
202-639-0114
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SOURCE First Book