Free books available to youth programs through First Book

First Book is a program that provides free books to low income children through age 18. Nonprofits with programs for this client group may want to participate in this program, underwritten by C&S Wholesale Grocers, a large food distribution company with headquarters on the mainland with a local subsidiary, Hawaii Logistics.

C&S will provide at least four books per child in each qualified program in Hawaii through a partnership with First Book, an international nonprofit that has distributed almost 50 million free books since 1992. Book distribution is through nonprofit agencies.

To qualify, a program's client population must be at least 80 percent low income. “Low income” is not a specific amount, but TANF recipients and children that qualify for free and reduced cost lunches are considered to be low income. Nonprofits complete a three-page application form and submit it to a local advisory board. If a program is approved, books can be ordered from age-appropriate lists and the books are delivered to the nonprofit to distribute to clients.

For additional information and an application, contact Carolyn Fujioka, contact person for the local Advisory Board, at carolyn.fujioka.atxn@statefarm.com or at (808) 836-3946. Additional information about C&S is available at http://www.cswg.com; more about First Book is at http://www.firstbook.org.