

Welcoming Schools


Register with First Book and Welcoming Schools
Welcoming Schools and First Book have teamed up to provide free or low- cost new books for Jazz & Friends 2020 National Day of School and Community Readings.
- Providing free or low cost books for Jazz & Friends National Day of School and Community Readings 2020 will make a significant difference in the level of support that transgender and non-binary youth receive in their classrooms.
- Jazz & Friends National Day of School and Community Readings foster learning about diverse gender identities for all students which promotes a more inclusive educational environment for transgender and nonbinary youth.
- Books used in Jazz & Friends Readings: I Am Jazz, Julián Is a Mermaid and They She He Me: Easy As ABC empower transgender and non-binary youth because they are able to see themselves in the characters.
Participants registering for Jazz & Friends readings to take place on February 27, 2020 have the opportunity to receive free or low-cost new books if they work or represent one of the following organizations or programs:
- First Book to Head Start
- Title I or Title I eligible school
- USDA Food and Nutrition Program
- Federally Qualified Health Center
- Title VII recipient
- Military family support program
- Library with an E-rate of 90
- A program primarily serving children with disabilities.
- A program where at least 70% of children come from low-income families.
Click here to register with First Book and Welcoming Schools*
Not sure if your school or program is eligible? Check here!
Registering through the link or button above will also share your information with Welcoming Schools. Through Welcoming Schools, you will learn about additional grant awards and resources Welcoming Schools develops in the future, and have access to resources available exclusively to those who are a part of the First Book and Welcoming Schools partnership.
If you would prefer to share your information with only First Book, please register here: www.firstbook.org/join



About Welcoming Schools
HRC Foundation’s Welcoming Schools is the nation’s premier development program providing training and resources to elementary school educators to embrace family diversity, create LGBTQ and gender inclusive schools, prevent bias-based bullying, and support transgender and non-binary students.
To Participate:
First, sign up for Jazz & Friends to host a reading. You will receive the following free lesson plans for participating in the readings: I Am Jazz, Julián Is a Mermaid and They She He Me: Easy as ABC.
Educators will have access to Welcoming Schools Jazz & Friends Scope and Sequence which is a monthly guide with lesson plans that help educators to prepare for Jazz & Friends readings on February 27, 2020.
Second, register with First Book to receive your free or low-cost Jazz & Friends 2020 books: I Am Jazz,Julián Is a Mermaid and They She He Me: Easy as ABC. These books help to provide students with the opportunity to become engaged readers and to connect with the larger community of Jazz & Friends readers.






