Colom Foundation and First Book to distribute books at ICS Head Start Centers

For many underprivileged youngsters, the only book in the house is the phone book. First Book, in conjunction with The Colom Foundation and ICS Head Start, is working to change that with a major book distribution. About 5,000 books will be given to youngsters, beginning at 12:30 p.m. on October 16 at the Coleman Head Start Center.

Also in the works is a distribution of 250,000 books to children across the state, which will begin in December.

One of the leading problems facing Mississippians is lack of literacy. Literacy is one of the most essential skills needed for survival in today’s world, and children with substandard literacy are already starting life with the deck stacked against them.

Beginning October 16 in Columbus, First Book will distribute 5,000 books to children at Head Start centers in Lowndes, Noxubee, Oktibbeha and Clay counties. The effort is part of Book Drive America, a national grassroots effort organized by ABC morning program Good Morning America. First Lady Laura Bush kicked off the crusade with a September 24 television appearance.

Book distribution in the Golden Triangle will kick off at the Coleman Head Start Center, 723 22nd Street South, at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 16. About 200 children will receive individualized books, and local dignitaries will be on hand to read to them. Every child at each center in the four-county area will receive at least three books by the book drive’s conclusion in January, according to Colom Foundation Executive Director Deborah Schumaker.

A total of 5,000 books, received through a grant from Random House, will be given to the children in the four-county area, Schumaker said. A Scholastic grant of 250,000 books will be distributed all across north Mississippi in mid-December.

“The Colom Foundation is really pleased to underwrite the cost for bringing these books to Mississippi and putting them into the hands of disadvantaged children,” Schumaker said. “We’re looking forward to the opportunity to distribute 250,000 books all over North Mississippi later this year.”

“These books will be a great benefit for children and their families,” said Eloise McClinton, deputy director of ICS. “We are working with disadvantaged children, and putting books in the hands of little ones will be a great help.”

“ Literacy is one of our top priorities at ICS. We are very grateful to the Colom Foundation for underwriting the First Book project,” said Alma Turner, Golden Triangle Director of ICS Head Start. “This is the beginning of a great partnership and will certainly make a lot of boys and girls happy by giving them their very own book, some of them maybe for the first time.”

“We want this to become a lasting partnership, and hopefully it will lead to other partnerships as well,” McClinton said.

The initial book distribution will begin in Columbus on October 16, and is scheduled for October 23 in Noxubee County, October 30 in Oktibbeha County and November 6 in Clay County.

Later this year, the Colom Foundation and First Book are organizing the distribution of 250,000 books across all of North Mississippi, Schumaker said. Donated by Scholastic, these books are for students in grades K-12.

The Colom Foundation encourages any local groups who serve low-income children to apply for inclusion in the Scholastic grant. Contact Deborah Schumaker at 662-327-0903 for more information.