
About Us
See Our GiftsOverview
First Book provides new books to children in need addressing one of the most important factors affecting literacy – access to books. Studies reveal that the critical factor determining whether a child becomes a reader is access to reading materials--specifically, the presence of books at home. Yet in low-income neighborhoods, there is only one book for every 300 children. Since 1992, First Book has worked to reverse that trend by distributing over 80 million new books to children in need.
Mission
To give new books to kids in need.
Program
First Book works through existing community programs to provide a steady stream of new free or low cost books and improve access to reading materials. First Book reaches these programs through an innovative, powerfully designed, three-part network:
Local Advisory Boards – First Book’s central, community-based model that brings together diverse local leaders to mobilize communities and supply existing programs with new books for the children they serve.
First Book National Book Bank – the first-ever online centralized system that enables publishers to donate large quantities of new books to the nonprofit sector for distribution to children from low-income families.
First Book Marketplace – a web-based venture that offers high quality, award-winning books to community programs serving disadvantaged children at 50-90% below retail prices.
Impact
First Book has provided more than 80 million new books to children in need in thousands of communities nationwide. While innovative in its approach, First Book is conservative in its economic life; the organization’s financials reveal that over 97% of revenue is devoted to implementing its far-reaching programs.
CEO
Kyle Zimmer
Countries
United States, Canada
Contact
1319 F Street, NW
Suite 1000
Washington, DC 20004
Phone: (202) 393-1222
www.firstbook.org
EIN: 52-1779606
A Gift Card
Community
Education
Teach the Joy
5 books for children
Your gift will put five brand new books directly into the hands of children in need.
$1500 $15.00
Share Stories
12 bedtime stories
Your gift will bring the magic of a bedtime story directly to a child in need once every month for a year.
$3600 $36.00
Spread the Magic
Books for afterschool
Your gift will bring brand new books directly to afterschool programs that support children's literacy and education.
$18000 $180.00
Fill Backpacks
Books for 20 students
Your gift will put brand new books directly in the backpacks of 20 preschoolers in need for them to take home.
$36000 $360.00
Fill A Bookshelf
20 children's books
Your gift will put 20 brand new books in the home of a child in need.
$6000 $60.00
Open Young Minds
40 new books
Your gift will bring 40 children brand new appealing and age-appropriate books to take home and keep.
$12000 $120.00
Nurture Imagination
25 fun-filled books
Your gift will provide 25 children in an afterschool program with brand new books.
$7500 $75.00
Fund Better Futures
200 books for children
Your gift of 200 new books will strengthen the reading ability of a classroom of children in need.
$60000 $600.00
Spark A Reader
2 brand new books
This gift will provide the magic of two new books to a child in need, and help create a foundation of literacy in her life.
$500 $5.00