The Need
Millions of children from low-income communities don’t have the tools they need to learn and thrive. With your help, we can change this.
Kids Need Books and Resources
Books and resources impact everything from psychological well-being to academic performance, but kids in need don’t have that advantage. Books are critical and access to those resources is one of the greatest contributors to educational equity in the United States. Research shows that just the presence of books in the home improves educational outcomes.
Despite all this, books and resources are scarce for kids in need – meaning they are at a disadvantage from the start. It has been identified there are vast book deserts concentrated in low-income communities across the U.S. — with one community having only a single book to be shared among as many as 830 children.
The Scale & the Impact
Poverty is reshaping education. Fifty-one percent of students across the nation’s public schools — 27 million children — are from low-income families; coming to school without even their basic needs met and under extreme stress. Moreover, the schools don’t have the funding necessary to address those needs.
Many of these children struggle with hunger, homelessness, violence, and lack of access to clean clothes, proper hygiene materials or relevant educational resources. Ensuring that children are in the right headspace to learn means tackling all the problems that are holding them back. As a result, these kids are behind in their education from the start and almost never catch up. The impact is devastating. The long-term economic devastation is deep and broad with the effect of an inequitable educational system being the equivalent of a national recession.
The Impact of Our Work
First Book transforms the lives of children in need by making brand-new, high-quality books and resources affordable and available to the educators and kids who need them most.
First Book Makes a Difference
First Book delivers resources where they are needed most.
Provides Books to Spark Innovation
Innovative programs help distribute 1.5 million brand-new books to children living in low-income communities.
Increases Children’s Interest in Reading
In a First Book Network poll, 87% of members reported children’s interest in reading increased after receiving books from First Book.
Improves Teacher Performance and Impact
79% of members polled said First Book helps them be the best educator they can be.
Helps Close the Achievement Gap
88% of members reported resources from First Book helped close the achievement gap for the kids they serve.
Children who discover the joy of reading not only do better in school, but also have a life full of adventure ahead. We are grateful to First Book for helping us foster the love of reading in so many children in need.
— Marty, H.O.P.E (Help Our People Eat) | Forsyth County, North Carolina
