First Book Named to The New York Times Communities Fund

The New York Times Communities Fund continues the legacy of “The Neediest Cases Fund” by supporting local, national and global nonprofits that provide direct support to under-resourced and over-burdened people

NEW YORK (Nov. 14, 2023) — Today, The New York Times Communities Fund announced that First Book will be featured in this year’s annual campaign. First Book joins CAMFED, Catholic Charities of Archdiocese of New York, Children’s Aid, Feeding America, Hispanic Federation, International Rescue Committee, OneGoal, Per Scholas, and UJA-Federation of New York in this recognition.

For 112 years, The New York Times Communities Fund – formerly known as The Neediest Cases Fund – has encouraged readers to help people who are under-resourced and over-burdened and has coordinated a holiday season giving campaign as a direct way to do just that. To date, The Fund has raised over $330 million for nonprofit organizations that have helped countless individuals improve their circumstances and lead more enriching lives.

“Year over year, First Book’s aim is to further expand access to high-quality, affordable books and critical resources for Title I educators across the country and the families they serve,” said Kyle Zimmer, president and CEO of First Book. “The New York Times Communities Fund’s support is vital in bolstering classroom and home libraries with books inspiring and empowering our nation’s students, especially during the holiday season when many children will be receiving and cherishing their first book or only gift of the holidays.”

Leveraging a network of more than 575,000 educators serving children in need, First Book works to remove barriers to education and level the playing field, so every child has access to a quality education. With the support of the New York Times Communities Fund, First Book is set to deepen programmatic support of Title I educators ensuring increased access to free and low-cost books as well as the development of resources addressing the unique challenges facing today’s educators and students. Learn more about First Book’s mission and work at www.firstbook.org.

To donate to The New York Times Communities Fund or for more information, please visit The Communities Fund here.

The New York Times Communities Fund is a 501(c)3 organization and The New York Times Company pays all administrative costs of the program, ensuring that 100 percent of the donations go to the organizations that The Fund supports. The campaign works in close collaboration with nonprofit Focusing Philanthropy to maximize impact.

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About First Book

Education transforms lives. First Book is building a world where every child has access to a quality education. We work to remove barriers to education and level the playing field for kids in need. At the heart of our work are the 575,000 members of the First Book Network, the largest online community of educators and professionals dedicated to children in need across North America. This Network is the key to creating systemic change. Through our research arm, First Book Research & Insights, we conduct studies that aggregate their voices to identify barriers to equitable education and inform strategic solutions. To address their needs, we provide free and low-cost books, resources, and access to leading experts through the First Book Marketplace, which uses aggregated buying power to support this underserved community. Founded in Washington D.C. in 1992 as a nonprofit social enterprise, First Book is dedicated to eliminating barriers to learning and inspiring young minds. Learn more at FirstBook.org and visit our award-winning eCommerce website at FBMarketplace.org.