To celebrate Veterans Day and honor our United States service members, we would like to highlight First Book’s partnership with United Through Reading (UTR), a nonprofit public benefit organization dedicated to uniting military families through shared reading experiences.

Every quarter, First Book’s Concierge Services team works with UTR to develop a bundled collection  of ten titles for a variety of reading levels that relate to a chosen theme—like STEM or the holidays. At an average of around four dollars per book, UTR is able to order enough of these carefully curated collections so that hundreds of Commands across the world are equipped with reading libraries.

First Book ships to Fleet and Army Post Office sites from Europe to the Pacific and once the books are received, service members get camera ready and slip into their storytelling shoes. The brave men and women serving our country bring classic and contemporary favorites to life, intent on performing another very important duty: connecting with their children.

In 2016 alone UTR sites have recorded and sent more than 17,000 video recordings of read-alouds back home to children. And not only that, they receive their very own copy of the book that they can flip through over and over. This sea-spanning bonding experience instills a love of reading by harnessing the power of a secure and loving family– a fundamental basis for a child’s success and desire to learn. First Book’s Concierge Services team is proud to support military families through its partnership with UTR. The partnership has expanded the scope of First Book’s impact and illuminated yet another benefit of reading, together.

First Book thanks all the veterans and active service members who serve our country—today and always.

Learn more about military families’ experiences with UTR here. If you serve children in low-income or other at-risk communities and need a large quantity of books or resources at the best possible price, reach out to First Book’s Concierge Services at concierge@firstbook.org or call the Member Services Team at 866.732.3669 and ask for Concierge Services.