Partnership to get books to kids in Appalachia launched
Educators and other individuals serving children in under-resourced communities can register with First Book and FAO to access free and low-cost books.
With the new partnership of the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio and First Book, the nonprofit focused on equal access to quality education, more new books and other educational resources will reach children across Appalachian Ohio’s communities.
Educators and other individuals serving children in under-resourced communities can register with First Book and FAO to access free and low-cost books, as well as other resources such as basic-needs items, school supplies, toys, playground equipment, educator resources, clothing, digital-learning tools and more.
Registration with First Book and FAO is free, takes around five minutes, and provides ongoing access to new books and resources, along with special funding opportunities including ones only open to those in Appalachian Ohio.
Registration is open at www.FirstBook.org/FAO, and anyone touching the lives of children in low-income communities in the region is eligible to sign up including those working in schools, early childhood programs, out-of-school time programs, military family support programs, faith-based organizations, shelters and clinics, libraries and museums, and more.
“FAO has always recognized the power of books to foster the sort of passion for education in our region's children that can serve as a launching pad for future success,” said Cara Dingus Brook, the president and CEO of the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio. “That’s why we are so excited to launch this first initiative through our Education Pillar of Prosperity, which will allow us to leverage and expand our network of schools, educators and organizations by partnering with First Book to get high-quality books into the hands of children who need them.”
FAO’s Pillars of Prosperity represents a tool box of permanent resources designed to support regional initiatives across five core areas essential to quality of life in Appalachian Ohio: education, arts and culture, community and economic development, environmental stewardship, and health and human services.
FAO’s partnership with First Book represents its first initiative through the Education Pillar and was made possible through a grant from the American Electric Power Foundation and the AEP Ohio Foundation.
In addition to connecting educators and providers with books and resources, First Book and FAO, a regional community foundation working to create opportunities for Appalachian Ohio’s citizens and communities through philanthropy, will work together to better understand the needs of the region and to meet those needs with tailored resources and opportunities through FAO’s Education Pillar.
“Creating regular access to books that kids want to read and providing resources that bolster their education are critical to sparking a love for learning that will serve them for the rest of their lives,” said Kyle Zimmer, president, CEO and co-founder of First Book. “I grew up in Appalachian Ohio, and it is where I grew to love learning. We are so grateful to the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio for the opportunity to support the educators here and the kids they serve.”
To learn more about FAO’s partnership with First Book or to register with FAO and First Book, visit www.FirstBook.org/FAO. To learn how to help grow this opportunity and create others like it, visit www.AppalachianOhio.org or call the foundation at 740-753-1111.