First Book-New Hanover County, NC

In August 2006, the First Book Advisory Board, First Book-New Hanover County, officially opened for business. Why is this important? First Book is a nonprofit organization that gives children from low-income families the opportunity to read and own their FIRST new books. First Book provides ongoing book distributions to low-income children, enabling them to build their own home libraries.

Since the number of books in the home significantly correlates with reading scores, First Book targets this need by providing children from low-income families with new books they can take home and keep.

The role of the local Advisory Board is not only to raise awareness, but to provide grants of free books to local literacy & community programs already serving children from low-income families. In addition, this Board recruits volunteers that want to help meet the mission for First Book and to raise funds to support the purchase of new books.