How a Mortgage Bank Makes It Possible for Kids to Have New Books

Every year, First Book provides close to ten million brand-new books to local schools and community programs across the country. To make that happen, we rely on the generosity of thousands of individual donors, grants from charitable foundations, and the revenue-generating (and someday self-sustaining) power of own First Book Marketplace.

But the most significant source of funding for First Book’s ever-growing programs is the support of our corporate partners – the companies that are investing in their communities every day by ensuring that kids from low-income families have the books and resources they need to become success stories.

One example of how First Book works hand-in-hand with socially responsible companies is our partnership with SunTrust Mortgage.

SunTrust Mortgage has made it possible for us to put a lot of books into the hands of a lot of kids. But they don’t just write us a check. They get involved in lots of ways, both big and small.

• SunTrust Mortgage employees – over 4,000 of them – have contributed over $500,000 to First Book since 2005. That generosity has put 400,000 brand-new books into classrooms and home libraries.
• SunTrust Mortgage sponsored a “Click Challenge” last year online; funds for 8,700 books were donated in a single week.
• SunTrust Mortgage employees volunteer their time as well. Recently they hand-delivered 1,500 books to John B. Cary Elementary School, Westover Hills Elementary School and G.W. Carver Elementary School, all Title I schools in Richmond, VA. (Richmond is home to one the strongest local First Book volunteer groups in the nation, made up largely of SunTrust Mortgage employees.)

Now, for the eighth year in a row, our friends at SunTrust Mortgage have stepped up with $50,000 that will provide more new books and resources to the educators and children we work with.

Thanks to everyone at SunTrust Mortgage. We couldn’t do it without you.