First Book-LCSC helps children receive free books

The First Book-LCSC has selected four local groups to receive $500 in Borders book store gift cards to help with child reading programs in the Lewiston-Clarkston area.

First Book-LCSC awarded the gift cards to both the preschool and playschool programs in the Asotin-Anatone School District. The remaining two gift cards went to the Nez Perce Early Childhood Development Program in both Lapwai and Kamiah.

First Book is a national nonprofit organization that gives children in need the opportunity to read and own their first new books. First Book Advisory Boards unite leaders from all sectors of the community to identify the most effective community based literacy programs reaching children living at or below the poverty line and provide them with First Book grants of free books and educational materials. First Book-LCSC serves Nez Perce, Lewis, Clearwater, Idaho, and Asotin counties.

From Nov. 15 to Dec. 15 of last year, First Book and Borders Group, Inc., a leading retailer of books, music and movies, launched a giving campaign that enabled Borders and Waldenbooks customers to make a donation to First Book as they made their holiday purchases. The event raised more than $460,000, which has been converted to Borders gifts cards. The cards are being distributed to hundreds of nonprofit organizations affiliated with First Book, allowing them to purchase books for the children they serve.

Over the next month, these organizations will collaborate with the Borders or Waldenbooks store in their community to give the children they work with an opportunity to help them spend the gift cards they received.

“First Book-LCSC is grateful to Borders Group for making it possible for us to distribute hundreds of new books to children in our local community,” said Colleen Mahoney, co-chair of First Book-LCSC. “Through this promotion, we have formed a wonderful relationship with our local Waldenbooks store in Moscow and are excited about opportunities to work together in the future.”

For more information on First Book-LCSC, contact Charlette Kremer at cpkremer@lcsc.edu or (208) 792-2084. The group’s web site is www.lcsc.edu/americorps/firstbook/Home.htm