The American Federation of Teachers

Since 2012, First Book and the AFT have partnered to bring high-quality books and resources to educators, families and children across the country. From small classroom book giveaways to large-scale reading festivals distributing over 30,000 books in a day, First Book and AFT are making books more accessible to all while equipping educators with the tools to enrich the lives of children in low-income communities and support AFT members who serve them. By combining First Book’s purchasing power with AFT’s strong network of educators, healthcare professionals and public employees, we’re ensuring that more students, families and communities have the resources they need to thrive. In 2021, AFT launched the Reading Opens the World Program campaign to spread the joy of reading and strengthening connections among families, educators, and communities by expanding access to books, literacy tips and tools and educational resources. Through this collaboration, First Book has distributed over more than 2.5 million books, contributing to a total of over nearly 11 million books throughout the lifetime of our partnership.