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Pi Beta Phi Fraternity to Contribute $1 Million to First Book
Pi Beta Phi Fraternity to Contribute $1 Million to First Book
Published 09-16-08
Submitted by First Book
A Pi Beta Phi member helps children select new books at a First Book reading party.WASHINGTON, D.C. - September 16, 2008 - Pi Beta Phi Fraternity for Women announces a $1 million, four-year commitment to First Book, an organization providing new books to children in need across the United States and Canada. Through the partnership, the Fraternity will sponsor the distribution of more than 1 million new books, 250,000 of which will be given during the 2008-2009 academic year.
Pi Beta Phi collegiate members will celebrate the partnership by hosting First Book Speed Readâ„¢ events on college and university campuses across North America during the year.
Pi Beta Phi members will challenge fellow college and university students along with community members and leaders to read aloud as many words as they can from a children's book in 15 seconds. Supporters donate money for every word read in this fun, visual event raising funds for First Book and providing new books to kids in need.
Over the next 12 months, Fraternity alumnae will reach out through professional and personal networks to identify existing programs in their communities serving children in need that can register with First Book. After registering, the programs will gain permanent access to a steady stream of new books for the children they serve.
"At First Book, we are thrilled to celebrate our partnership with Pi Beta Phi, which will bring 1 million new books into the lives of thousands of children in need over the next four years," said Kyle Zimmer, president of First Book. "Pi Beta Phi's unwavering commitment to the cause of literacy and to First Book’s mission ensures access to books for all, developing today’s readers and tomorrow’s leaders."
Pi Beta Phi and its members have embraced literacy as their philanthropy, working to remove the barrier of illiteracy throughout the Fraternity's history. Pi Beta Phi's long-standing commitment to literacy spans nearly 100 years, beginning with the 1912 founding of the Pi Beta Phi Settlement School in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, which was instrumental in bringing education, economic development and health care to the region.
"Pi Beta Phi members and alumnae enthusiastically support the Fraternity's four-year commitment to First Book" said Pi Beta Phi Grand President Emily Russell Tarr. "Working together with an organization impacting illiteracy on an international level through local engagement helps Pi Beta Phi members reach out to their local communities to fight illiteracy. We applaud First Book’s ongoing work, and are thrilled to partner with them in this important initiative."
About Pi Beta Phi
Founded in 1867 at Monmouth College in Illinois, Pi Beta Phi continues to thrive today with a membership of more than 150,000, including 130 active chapters on college campuses in the United States and Canada and over 330 alumnae groups worldwide. Headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, Pi Beta Phi was the first national secret college society of women to be modeled after the Greek-letter fraternities of men as well as the first Greek-letter organization to establish a national philanthropic project. For additional Pi Beta Phi information, visit www.pibetaphi.org.
About First Book
First Book provides new books to children in need addressing one of the most important factors affecting literacy "“ access to books. An innovative leader in social enterprise, First Book has distributed more than 60 million free and low cost books in thousands of communities. First Book now has offices in the U.S. and Canada. For more information about the nonprofit First Book please visit www.firstbook.org or call 866-393-1222.
