First Book

First Book "provides new books to children in need addressing one of the most important factors affecting literacy – access to books. The inspiration for the organization was born when Kyle Zimmer, a corporate lawyer by day and tutor at an inner-city soup kitchen by night, discovered that the children she tutored had no books to read.

"Kyle discovered that the majority of programs reaching low-income populations have few, if any, age-appropriate books for the children they serve. She realized that there were millions of potential readers, future workers, citizens and parents, who were eager to love reading and learning, but were without the tools to do so. Spurred to action, Kyle left her day job and in 1992 founded First Book to provide new books and resources to the children who needed them the most."


 * Kyle Zimmer, President and Co-Founder
 * Chandler Arnold, Executive Director, First Book Marketplace

Directors
Accessed March 2009:


 * Chairman - Peter F. Gold
 * Vincent Altruda
 * Elizabeth Arky
 * Narvel Blackstock
 * Christopher Cerf
 * Sterling Edmunds, Jr.
 * Susan M. Flynn
 * Kathy Franklin
 * Louis Harris
 * L. Spencer Humphrey
 * Reba McEntire
 * James Patterson
 * Tim Pinnington
 * Susan Roman
 * Tom Tolworthy
 * Kyle Zimmer

Publishing Committee
 * Chip Gibson
 * Susan Katz
 * Rick Richter
 * Judith Zimmer

Advisory Council
Accessed March 2009:


 * Joan Allen
 * Admiral Thad Allen
 * Jenny Bohler
 * Susan Brandt
 * Andrea Camp
 * Thomas H. Collins
 * Deborah Dugan
 * Deni Frand
 * Laura Geringer
 * Greg Hoffmann
 * Marilynn G. Jacobs
 * Karen Kehela
 * Laurence J. Kirshbaum
 * Richard Krinsley - Executive Vice President and Publisher, Scholastic Inc. (Retired)
 * Michelle Kydd Lee
 * Ilene Leff
 * Adam S. Lenkin
 * Eleanor Lewis
 * James M. Loy
 * Kit Lunney
 * Barbara Marcus - President, Scholastic Inc. Children's Book Group (Retired)
 * Debra Newton
 * Kristina Peterson
 * Carolynn Reid Wallace
 * Jamienne S. Studley
 * Beth L. Veihmeyer
 * Joanne and Karl Wyss

Contact

 * Web: http://www.firstbook.org

Related Sourcewatch articles

 * Lidia Soto-Harmon