Colom Foundation sponsors literacy drive

Do you remember the magic of your first book? Many low-income children never feel the thrill of owning their own books, and as a result enter school ill prepared to learn basic literacy skills. Statistics from the National Institute for Literacy show that only 31 percent of fourth graders read at or above proficiency, and only 1 percent write at an advanced level; this is especially grim considering that over 60 percent of low-income families have no books at all for the children in their homes.

In an effort to put books in the hands of these children, The Colom Foundation is bringing the literacy program First Book to Northern Mississippi. First Book is a national organization dedicated to providing books to children in low-income families. Within the last two years, First Book has distributed nearly 15 million books nationwide.

On Tuesday, May 13, Kimberly Mazyck, Director of Community Development for First Book, will be here from Washington, DC, to explain the program. The meeting will from 4 p.m. - 5 p.m. at the Columbus-Lowndes County Public Library, 314 Seventh Street North.
According to Colom Foundation Executive Director Deborah Schumaker, the meeting will concentrate on setting up a local advisory board.

"This board will serve as a local fundraising group and conduit to get the books to the children," she said. "We'd like to have around 10 people on the board."

The local advisory board will distribute the books through preexisting local literacy programs throughout the Golden Triangle, she said.

First Book will donate a number of books once the board is set up, Schumaker said. In addition, the fledgling program has already received a donation of 5,000 books.

"We have already gotten a grant of 5,000 books from Harper-Collins Publishers," she said. "They've pledged 5,000 more once the program has been set up."

Colom Foundation founder Wil Colom brought the program to Mississippi after a friend brought it to his attention.

"My dear friend from New York, Charlotte Sheedy, introduced me to the program," Colom said. "I thought it would be a wonderful tool for aiding literacy development in Mississippi."
Colom, who is very active with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Mississippi, saw First Book as a natural extension of the projects with which he was already involved.

"I suggested that we start with a distribution channel through the Boys and Girls Clubs, and move out from there," Colom said. "I'd also like to enlist the aid of the publishing community. There are a few small publishers in the state, as well as a few based at the state universities."

First Book has operated in Mississippi before, Colom noted, primarily in Pascagoula, Gulfport and Jackson, but never in the Golden Triangle region.

"Improving the reading proficiency of children in the Golden Triangle is goal that's very dear to me," Colom said. "I'm very excited about working with First Book, and I think together we can have an impact in northern Mississippi."

For more information on the First Book program, contact Deborah Schumaker at 662-327-0903 ext. 33, or via e-mail at dschumaker@colom.com.