KPMG recently announced a donation of 15,000 new books from PGA Tour champion Phil Mickelson in support of the Big Four’s “Reading Relay,” providing more than 130,000 new books to children in need. The initiative commemorates the fifth anniversary of KPMG’s Family for Literacy program, which has already distributed more than 2 million new books to help eradicate childhood illiteracy.
During the Reading Relay, the firm’s 90 offices conducts events at school and organizations for children from low-income families where KPMG employees, family members and alumni volunteers read and distribute books.
Kicked off on Nov. 1 in Washington D.C., the Reading Relay concludes in Los Angeles Dec. 13.
"KPMG is proud to mark five years of fighting childhood illiteracy with such a generous donation, which adds to our strong relationship with Phil and the passion we all share for supporting our communities," said John Veihmeyer, chairman and CEO of KPMG, in a statement. "We are deeply grateful to Phil and his family for their support of KFFL and our people working across the country to end childhood illiteracy."
"What KPMG has accomplished in five years is amazing," Mickelson stated. "Like KPMG, my wife Amy and I believe that education is the foundation for a successful future for our youth and that begins with literacy. We are really excited about supporting KPMG's efforts to get new books to children who need them most, and especially during this innovative Reading Relay."
KPMG’s Family for Literacy also teamed with Mickelson for the “Blue for Books” campaign, encouraging fans to purchase Mickelson’s authentic blue KPMG Tour hat with 100 percent of the proceeds to First Book, which provides three new books to children in need for each hat sold. Between that and the 5,000 new books and library refurbishment KPMG provides in each city where Mickelson and No. 1 ranked LPGA Tour American player Stacy Lewis win a tournament, the firm has donated 84,000 new books since the program began in 2012.
