Scotiabank and First Book Canada Distribute Over 15,000 Books to Children Affected by B.C. Forest Fires

Children receive comfort and boosted sense of community through books in wake of natural disaster

Vancouver, B.C. (Dec. 14, 2017) – First Book Canada, in partnership with Scotiabank, distributed over 15,000 new books to children in 10 schools across British Columbia that were affected by the forest fires this summer. All donated books will be gifted to the children to take home, keep, and help build their home libraries.

“At Scotiabank, we believe in giving back to the communities where we live and work,” said Larry Clements, District Vice President at Scotiabank. “In particular, we are committed to investing in young people, and working together with organizations like First Book Canada to ensure young people have the necessary skills and resources to succeed and reach their infinite potential.”

The American Psychological Association has stated that children may be acutely affected by natural disasters, such as wildfires and forest fires, in ways that are difficult for them to express. In partnership with Scotiabank, First Book Canada is working to help alleviate post-traumatic stress experienced by children in affected areas. The donated books give children the opportunity to read with their families and help to recuperate a sense of security and connection.

“It is estimated that it will take British Columbia’s forest industry at least five years to recover from this historic wildfire season, but no one knows how long it will take for the children and their families to recover from the trauma of the devastating fires of this summer,” said Tom Best, Executive Director of First Book Canada. “We are so proud to partner with the local branches of Scotiabank in B.C. to provide brand new books to children across many of the badly affected areas of the province. Books are a wonderful remedy for stress and reading is a great bonding force for families who have experienced difficult situations. The best news of all: they will be going home with the students before the holiday break.”

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

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