CBS Radio Orlando Advertisers and Nonprofit First Book Partner to Distribute Thousands of New Books to Children in Need
2,400 New Books Distributed to Students at Orlando Day Nursery During Special Reading Party
October 29, 2014 /3BL Media/ - In an effort to advance youth literacy in Orlando, CBS Radio Orlando advertisers have partnered with the nonprofit social enterprise First Book through CBS EcoMedia to deliver 2,400 brand-new, age-appropriate books to 125 students at Orlando Day Nursery.
Through CBS EcoMedia’s EducationAd program, 20/20 Eyeglass Superstore, Taylor Morrison Homes, Field’s Automotive Group, Visit St. Petersburg/Clearwater Tourism, Republic National, Orange County Public Schools and Daytona Friends of Bandshell contributed funding to support the distribution of the new books. Funding will also support Orlando Day Nursery’s free lending library where students will have the opportunity to take books home with them, encouraging after-school reading and emphasizing the importance of making reading a daily habit.
Orlando Day Nursery is located in Parramore, Orlando’s highest poverty and highest crime neighborhood. The school is in close proximity to three homeless shelters and many hotels that are used by homeless families for temporary housing. The majority of the students come from low-income households with limited access to books or transportation to the local library.
A special reading party was held today where the brand-new books were presented to the excited students. Hosts included members from the CBS Radio Orlando stations. After opening remarks, representatives enjoyed reading to the students and a fun classroom activity to go along with the books.
First Book provides new books and educational resources to educational programs serving children from low-income families. By working with a network of over 145,000 community-based schools and programs, First Book helps elevate the quality of education for kids in need. With help from partners like CBS Radio Orlando advertisers, First Book hopes to reach every one of the nearly 30 million kids that live in low-income households in the United States.
“Books pave the path to a child’s success, in school and in life,” said Kyle Zimmer, president and CEO of First Book. “By putting new these critical educational resources in to the hands of local kids in need, CBS Radio Orlando and CBS Ecomedia are improving lives today and investing in the future of their community.”
“There’s no underestimating the power of books on young impressionable minds,” said Paul Polizzotto, president and founder of CBS EcoMedia. “Over 32 million children in the United States live in poverty, and in their communities there is often a lack of books. We’re grateful to 0/20 Eyeglass Superstore, Taylor Morrison, Field’s Automotive Group, Visit St Petersburg Tourism, World Cup/Banfe, Republic National, Orange County Public Schools, and Daytona/Friends of Bandshell for coming together to give kids in this community access to new books.”
About CBS Radio Orlando
CBS Orlando is comprised of WJHM-FM/101.9 AMP Radio, WOCL-FM/105.9 Sunny and WOMX-FM/Mix 105.1 offering a myriad of integrated marketing solutions; on-air, on-line and on-site.
About First Book
First Book is a nonprofit social enterprise that has distributed more than 118 million books and educational resources to programs and schools serving children from low-income families throughout the United States and Canada. By making new, high-quality books available on an ongoing basis, First Book is transforming the lives of children in need and elevating the quality of education. For more information, please visit them online or follow their latest news on Facebook and Twitter.
About CBS EcoMedia Inc.
At EcoMedia, we’re propelled by the desire to create positive social change; that’s been our mission since we founded the company in 2002. In 2010, after successfully partnering with CBS on a wide range of environmental projects, EcoMedia became the newest addition to the CBS Corporation portfolio, exponentially scaling our reach across television, radio, interactive, publishing and outdoor media.
Through our patent-pending EcoAd, WellnessAd and EducationAd programs, an innovative twist on traditional advertising, advertisers are able to support much-needed local projects which in turn creates jobs, saves taxpayer money and improves the quality of life in communities nationwide. In the process, we’re fundamentally altering the advertising landscape, elevating the ordinary, traditional commercial – and media, in general – into a catalyst for tangible, quantifiable social change. Please visit ecomediacbs.com, like us at facebook.com/EcoMediaCBS or follow us at Twitter.com/EcoMediaCBS.
By participating in EcoMedia’s EcoAd, WellnessAd and EducationAd advertising programs, EcoMedia’s advertisers agree to provide funding for projects we believe will have a beneficial effect upon the environment, health and/or education within local communities. EcoMedia’s advertising programs are not certification programs nor are the EcoAd, WellnessAd or EducationAd logos seals of approval. EcoMedia does not in any way certify, endorse or make any representations about EcoMedia program advertisers, their products or services.
