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Demand Media Studios and First Book Send Children Back to School with More Than 15,000 New Books
Demand Media Studios and First Book Send Children Back to School with More Than 15,000 New Books
Published 09-16-10
Submitted by First Book
In a special back-to-school edition of their Write for a Cause program, thousands of Demand Media Studios® freelance writers and editors made it possible for 15,149 brand new books to reach the hands of children in need nationwide.
Demand Media™, a leading content and social media company, asked its Demand Media Studios community of more than 10,000 freelance writers and editors to participate in the Write for a Cause program to increase childhood literacy. For every eight articles written and approved between August 12-31, Demand Media Studios donated a book on behalf of its writers and copy editors to First Book, the award-winning nonprofit that has provided more than 70 million books to children in need. Writers and editors created more than 121,000 articles, helping Demand Media Studios surpass its ambitious goal of donating 15,000 new books in just two weeks.
"Our writers and editors who already take pride in the work that they do in Demand Media Studios now have the occasion to stand even taller knowing that their passion and expertise for the written word also directly resulted in the ability to provide more books to the kids who need them most," said Stewart Marlborough, general manager of Demand Media Studios, the content-creation arm of Demand Media. "The involvement of our freelance community has shown a tremendous commitment to increasing literacy among the next generation especially as they head back to school this fall."
Demand Media Studios and First Book launched the first Write for a Cause initiative in December 2009 and brought the program back, by popular demand, in March. During the three campaigns, Demand Media Studios has donated a total of 41,100 new books to children from low-income communities nationwide. Of those books, several thousand were donated thanks to seven of Demand Media Studios' most prolific contributors during Write for a Cause programs: Kathy Hatter, Stephen Milioti, Stephen Lilley, Carolyn Hemmings, Kevin Rail, Greyson Furgeson and Allen Cone.
"The Demand Media Studios community has helped us to send more children in need back to school this year with brand new books in their backpacks," said Kyle Zimmer, President and CEO of First Book. "We are thrilled that Demand Media Studios has become a committed partner of ours in the battle against illiteracy."
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 70 million free and low-cost books in thousands of communities. First Book has offices in the U.S. and Canada. For more information about the nonprofit First Book please visit: www.firstbook.org
About Demand Media Studios
Demand Media is a leading online media company that informs, entertains and connects millions of people every day. Through a portfolio of vertical web properties that reaches more than 80 million monthly visitors, a global network of digital partners, and a breakthrough content studio, Demand Media publishes what the world wants to know and share. Founded in 2006, Demand Media is headquartered in Santa Monica, CA with offices in Bellevue, WA, Austin, TX, New York, NY and London, UK. For more information visit: www.demandmedia.com
