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Public invited to help give books to children living in poverty

Posted at 10:09 AM, Aug 15, 2018
and last updated 2018-08-15 11:24:19-04

Across the U.S., employees at a large media company are working to put books in the hands of children living in poverty.

That company — E.W. Scripps — is inviting the public to help.

The Scripps Howard Foundation’s annual “If you give a child a book …” literacy campaign has started and will run through the end of August. The literacy campaign has distributed more than 100,000 new books to children across the country since 2017.

Now in its third year, the campaign is a partnership of the Foundation, employees of The E.W. Scripps Company and donors who provide matching gifts to advance childhood literacy by increasing access to books.  

Every dollar raised during the “If you give a child a book … ” campaign is used for the purchase of books for children who need them most. Books are purchased at cost through a partnership with Scholastic Book Fairs, further maximizing the purchasing power of every donated dollar.

Following the campaign, Scripps news organizations choose a local nonprofit group that works with children and families to receive the books. In addition, the TV stations air stories about the importance of literacy and how to get involved, further amplifying the impact of the campaign.

“There is an intrinsic link between the ability to read and a child’s ability to succeed in life,” said Liz Carter, president and chief executive officer of the Scripps Howard Foundation. “By helping children learn to read, we can assure they can have the tools and information they need to reach their potential.”

Books presented to program partners on National Reading Day on January 23, 2019.

Visit http://ifyougiveabook.com for more information on how to give to this the campaign.