Around NJ: Tata Sons North America and First Book Distribute 35,000 books to New Jersey Communities

Newark, NJ - This weekend, Tata Sons North America and First Book are distributing more than 35,000 books to New Jersey and New York City educators. With 250 educators in attendance, this abundance of free, high-quality books will flow into Newark, New Jersey and New York, ensuring students across the region have access to essential reading materials that help put students on a path for academic and future success.

The Truck of Books event will be held at The Newark Museum of Art where local educators will find enrichment in the books they take home, and art exhibits they experience on-site.

"Our group of companies was founded on the commitment of giving back to communities," said Michael McCabe, Resident Director, Tata Sons North America. "That commitment is alive and well through our years long partnership with First Book which has resulted in hundreds of thousands of books and reading materials for teachers and students across North America to share in the power of reading. This is only possible through the tireless support of Tata volunteers who are upholding the values of our group by making a positive impact on educators and students throughout North America."

Newark, like many school districts across the country, saw significant dips in reading proficiency as a result of the pandemic. In 2023, the rate of third graders across the city that met state reading standards had dropped by 15 percentage points compared to 2019. As school leaders and state officials prioritize literacy screenings and reading proficiency, infusing high-quality books into classrooms and home libraries is an essential tool to help educators, students, and families overcome the academic challenges they face and improve literacy rates citywide. Tata Sons and First Book's commitment to educators is only strengthened by their challenging yet essential task of improving student reading skills and supporting the foundational academic development that will provide lifelong benefits to their students.

"Through the generous support of Tata Sons North America, First Book is emboldened to combat the existing educational barriers in New Jersey and New York and replenish the expanding book deserts that we have seen nationwide," said Dana Bond, executive vice president of Strategic Alliances at First Book. "First Book members in New Jersey and New York, serving families and students in need, have too often shouldered the financial burden of limited academic resources as they work to bolster critical reading and writing skills. This partnership with Tata Sons North America allows First Book to ensure deep and lasting impact in New Jersey and New York communities and uplift educators with flourishing classroom libraries and educational resources."

Tata Sons North America and First Book, the largest online network of educators serving children in need, have been working hand in hand since 2008 to eliminate existing barriers to education. Together, for the last 17 years, they have distributed more than 550,000 books to educators serving kids in need. Tata Sons North America and First Book have been able to impact hundreds of thousands of educators, kids, and communities across the U.S. and Canada. Through this dynamic partnership, Tata Sons North America engages Tata employees in volunteerism to activate community events, reading celebrations, and even provide in-kind support and services to advance the First Book mission.

Visit us here to learn more about this partnership and how you can support Title I educators in your area.

About First Book
Education transforms lives. First Book is building a world where every child has access to a quality education. We work to remove barriers to education and level the playing field for kids in need. At the heart of our work are the more than 600,000 members of the First Book Network, the largest online community of individual educators, professionals and volunteers dedicated to supporting children in need across North America. This Network is the key to creating systemic change. Through our research arm, First Book Research & Insights, we conduct studies that aggregate their voices to identify barriers to equitable education and inform strategic solutions. To address their needs, we provide free and low-cost books, resources, and access to leading experts through the First Book Marketplace, which uses aggregated buying power to support this underserved community. Founded in Washington D.C. in 1992 as a nonprofit social enterprise, First Book is dedicated to eliminating barriers to learning and inspiring young minds. Learn more at www.firstbook.org and visit our award-winning eCommerce website at fbmarketplace.org.

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