CINCINNATI – In support of its mission to create a better-informed world through journalism education and childhood literacy, the Scripps Howard Foundation is giving 80,000 new books to children in need across the nation today, National Reading Day, as part of its annual “If you give a child a book …” literacy campaign.
Now in its third year, the campaign has distributed more than 180,000 books to children through a partnership of the Scripps Howard Foundation, Scripps employees and members of the Scripps family.
The “If you give a child a book …” campaign receives donations from Scripps employees and matching dollars from members of the Scripps family. Every dollar is used for the purchase of books for children in need. Books are purchased at a discount through a partnership with Scholastic Book Fairs, further maximizing the purchasing power of every donated dollar.
For National Reading Day, Scripps’ Local and National Media brands have partnered with low-income schools and local nonprofit groups that work directly with children and families to present the books through the “Big Book Giveaway.”
Scripps will celebrate this year’s Big Book Giveaway with programs and events across the country. Some examples include:
• Emmy-nominated daytime talk show “Pickler & Ben” will air a segment for National Reading Day with a special announcement featuring Liz Carter, president and CEO of the Scripps Howard Foundation. Visit [picklerandben.com](picklerandben.com) for local market listings.
• The Bounce television network, part of the Scripps-owned Katz Networks, will host a book fair at Heritage Academy, a Title 1 elementary school in the Atlanta Public School system. Over 1,000 new books will be given to students K-5, with an appearance by Clifford, The Big Red Dog, at a morning assembly.
• Scripps station KMTV in Omaha, Nebraska, will deliver a book fair benefiting its local chapter of the Boys & Girls Club afterschool program. Each student enrolled in the program will select four books to take home for free.
• Cincinnati, Cleveland, Indianapolis and Nashville also will host book fairs and present selected nonprofits with funds to purchase additional books for their literacy programs in partnership with Scholastic.
“When you give a child a book, you give them more than a story,” said Liz Carter, president and CEO of the Scripps Howard Foundation. “Access to books from an early age is proven to be an important predictor of a child’s success through their school years and beyond.
“This year the campaign will donate close to 80,000 new books, marking the campaign’s most successful year to date. This is a testament to the commitment of Scripps employees to ensuring kids in need across the country have access to books and the important experience of learning and connection to the world they bring.”
Since the program’s inception, the Foundation has granted five $10,000 grants annually on National Reading Day, totaling $150,000.
As in previous years, five organizations will be surprised on National Reading Day with an additional $10,000 grant to invest in literacy programs for the communities they serve. Recipients are selected through a competitive application process.
For more information on the campaign and how to donate, visit ifyougiveabook.com.
About the Scripps Howard Foundation
The Scripps Howard Foundation supports philanthropic causes important to The E.W. Scripps Company (NASDAQ: SSP) and the communities it serves, with a special emphasis on excellence in journalism. At the crossroads of the classroom and the newsroom, the Foundation is a leader in supporting journalism education, scholarships, internships, minority recruitment and development, literacy and First Amendment causes. The Scripps Howard Awards stand as one of the industry’s top honors for outstanding journalism. The Foundation improves lives and helps build thriving communities. It partners with Scripps brands to create awareness of local issues and supports impactful organizations to drive solutions.
Media contacts:
Rebecca Cochran, The E.W. Scripps Company, 513-977-3023, [email protected]