First Book Blog

Success Stories: Literacy as Currency

Posted in: Focus on First Book, Impact Stories

Today’s guest blog post comes from Michelle Janaye. Michelle is the assistant director of The H.O.P.E. Scholarship, a non-profit organization designed to empower financially-challenged students with need-based scholarships. She is also a freelance writer and videographer in the Chicago metropolitan area. Follow her on Twitter @michellejanaye. There was never a... Read more

Creating Success Stories for 20 Years

Posted in: Focus on First Book

Twenty years ago I was volunteering every week at a soup kitchen in Washington, D.C., where I met the most amazing children and families. As I got to know them, I saw how much they had to struggle, but I also saw how bright they were and how motivated they... Read more

What Is Social Entrepreneurship? (And Why First Book Is Such a Good Example)

Posted in: Focus on First Book, Impact Stories

A social entrepreneur is someone who sees a social problem — like hunger, homelessness or lack of access to clean water — and looks for ways to solve it. Unlike more traditional business entrepreneurs, who are trying to generate profits, social entrepreneurs are trying to change society. Long-term change is... Read more

JetBlue Helps First Book Provide 10,000 New Books to Kids for Black History Month

Posted in: Focus on First Book, Impact Stories

Civil rights leader and former United States Representative Barbara Jordan once proclaimed, “Do not call for black power or green power. Call for brain power.” This February, our friends at JetBlue are answering that call by providing 10,000 new books to kids in need. The books will go to schools... Read more

MLK, The Obamas & First Book

Posted in: Focus on First Book, Impact Stories, Our Partners

“Everybody can be great, because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.” – Martin Luther King Jr. Every year,... Read more

We Couldn't Have Done It Without You

Posted in: Focus on First Book

We had a great year at First Book, thanks to the help of supporters like you. Together, we’re transforming the lives of millions of children in need by ensuring they have new books of their own to read. I want to take a moment to say thank you, and tell... Read more

Books, Books, Books, Books, Books! First Book is Working Overtime to Distribute One Million Books by Next Weekend

Posted in: Focus on First Book

Yesterday we went to Nashville and picked up 50 cases of books for our organization that serves special needs and will be delivering them tomorrow at our basketball signups. This is going to be such an amazing thing for these special children and I can’t wait to see the smiles... Read more

Giving Where It Works

Posted in: Focus on First Book

At First Book, we work hard to make an impact: we put over 8 million new books into the hands of kids in need across the country this year. And we’re mindful of how many amazing organizations there are out there, both nationally and locally, that could use your support.... Read more

First Book and Jet Blue Soar With Reading!

Posted in: Focus on First Book, Impact Stories

First Book is excited to be partnered with JetBlue’s “Soar with Reading” program.  Soar with Reading aims to keep children reading throughout the summer, harnessing a combination of in-flight and online literacy resources, community reading events and proving new books to children in need. For every reader who registered on... Read more

Country Roads, Take Me Home: First Book Goes All Out for West Virginia Kids

Posted in: Impact Stories

“Our kids don’t get to have dreams, aspirations, hopes. They can’t even think about college; it’s not in their minds. That’s why these books are so important. Books are the beginning of everything. You learn about other places, you learn about the world.” — Angela Fedele of the WE CAN... Read more