First Book Canada Holds Inaugural Book Distribution in Kingston, Ontario

40,000 New Books Distributed to Children in Need

KINGSTON, Ontario (Nov. 24, 2017) – This week, First Book Canada distributed 40,000 books in its first ever Pop Up Book Distribution in Kingston, ON, with support from the Limestone District School Board. The book distribution is supported by TD Bank Group and First Book Canada’s publishing partners, including Disney Worldwide Publishing and Penguin Random House Canada. The distribution space was generously donated by the Limestone District School Board.

“We know that having books at home is motivating children and youth to read and find out about the world,” said Erica Wyncoll, Literacy Consultant with the Limestone District School Board. “Every child has the right and the ability to be a successful reader but sometimes access to books is a barrier. Limestone is pleased to partner with First Book Canada to help bridge this gap and bring more books to more children in our district.”

This book distribution was the first opportunity for members in the Ottawa-Kingston area to travel to a distribution location and select free books for the children they serve. These books in turn will be gifted to the children to take home, keep, and help build their home libraries.

“At First Book Canada, we are thrilled to finally bring a major book distribution to the City of Kingston and the surrounding area. We know we have neglected this important area of the province for far too long,” said Tom Best, executive director, First Book Canada. “Thanks to our new partnership with the Limestone District School Board we have finally arrived in Eastern Ontario, and we intend to continue to work together to build on the success of this week. The best part is we know all these wonderful books are going home with children across the region just in time for the holidays. For many of these children, this may well be the very first books they have owned.”

First Book Canada provides children with books to help them read, learn, and succeed. There are currently over 6,500 members across the country registered with First Book Canada, and members include educators, librarians, and program coordinators working with children and youth in large urban centres, as well as remote and far north areas of the country. First Book Canada’s Social Impact Reports have shown that ongoing access to books and educational resources is crucial in a child’s development of reading and writing skills, along with building their confidence and self-esteem.

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About First Book Canada

First Book Canada provides new books to children in need, addressing one of the most important factors affecting literacy – access to books. By making new, high quality books available on an ongoing basis, First Book Canada is transforming the lives of children and elevating the quality of education in the country. Since 2009, First Book Canada has distributed over 6 million new books to hundreds of thousands of children in need across Canada. For more information, or to register for books, visit us at firstbookcanada.org and follow our latest news on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Media Contact:

Tom Best, Executive Director, First Book Canada
tbest@firstbook.org
866.732.3669 ext. 0130