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5 Million Kids Get Free Books From This Non-Profit Every Year

First Book is a non-profit organization that provides books and educational resources to children in low-income communities. The organization has a network of 550,000 educators who serve 5 million kids a year. First Book distributes books through its online marketplace, as well as through other programs and initiatives.

The First Book Marketplace

The First Book Marketplace is an online resource that provides educators with access to thousands of books at a low cost or for free. Books on the marketplace are curated by First Book to ensure that they are high-quality and relevant to the needs of children in low-income communities.

Since 1992, First Book has distributed 225 million free books and educational resources through the marketplace.

Other Programs and Initiatives

In addition to the First Book Marketplace, First Book also offers a number of other programs and initiatives, including:

Research and Insights: This arm of First Book runs 30 studies a year to check in with educators on what's working, what the kids are struggling with, and what they need.
First Book Accelerator: This program turns cutting-edge research into teaching tools so that educators don't have to wait decades for the latest evidence-based strategies.
The First Book Fund: This fund provides financial assistance to educators who need help buying books for their classrooms.

For First Book, the importance of education goes far beyond literacy. Education encompasses hunger, housing issues, mental health issues, and more. Ensuring kids are in the right headspace to learn means tackling all of the problems that are holding them back.

Here's more about the First Book initiative.