Shorelight is donating over 250 children’s books to libraries, schools, and other education organizations in partnership with Jumpstart for Young Children (Jumpstart), a national early education organization, in an effort to boost literacy in under-resourced communities.
Through the partnership, Shorelight employees requested copies of Jumpstart’s special edition of the 2021 Read for the Record book selection, Amy Wu and the Patchwork Dragon by Kat Zhang.
Published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, Amy Wu and the Patchwork Dragon is a picture book about a young girl who struggles during craft time to create a dragon that perfectly represents her.
Books were available in Spanish or English and mailed to employees who could choose to donate them to early-childhood education and literacy centers at Shorelight campuses or in local communities, libraries, and schools.
Shorelight’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Organization & Activism committee led the effort to donate copies of the book — a celebration of Chinese culture as well as family and self-affirmation in order to recognize Lunar New Year.
“The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Organization & Activism committee is thrilled to partner with Jumpstart to both honor our students and team members through cultural recognition and celebration of Lunar New Year while also providing Shorelighters an opportunity to distribute this amazing book in their own community and further our mission to help educate the world,” said Charus Campbell, DEI chair.
“Jumpstart is delighted to partner with Shorelight in this effort which perfectly exemplifies the goals of the Read for the Record campaign – to increase awareness about the importance of early literacy, make high-quality picture books more accessible for young children, and foster opportunities for shared reading experiences between children and adults. Shorelight is creating truly meaningful impact on local communities through this donation,” said Julie DeGarmo, Jumpstart’s national director, Corporate Partnerships.
Each year, Jumpstart’s special edition includes activity guides, tips for reading with young children, vocabulary words, and comprehension questions to enhance the book’s educational value. Jumpstart’s annual Read for the Record campaign will take place again on October 27, 2022.