KPMG to donate 100K books to mark 10th year of literacy program

Big Four firm KPMG announced on Friday that it will donate over 100,000 new books to children across the country as part of the “Read to Achieve” initiative in partnership with nonprofit First Book, including the donation of the four millionth book by its "Family for Literacy"program, which is now in its 10th year.

Starting this month, with special attention to Read Across America Day on March 2, over 100 KPMG offices across the country began hosting literacy events for children and educators throughout their local communities, with KPMG partners, staff, and their families, volunteering at these events.

“From the beginning, First Book has relied on partners like KPMG to help us carry out our mission of making sure all kids have access to high-quality, relevant books,” said Kyle Zimmer, president, CEO, and co-founder of First Book, in a statement. “We are so proud of the impact that our partnership with KPMG has made for kids in need across the country. Ten years and four million books are incredible achievements for our partnership and I cannot wait to see what’s next.”

KPMG and First Book will run pop-up book shops throughout the country, with particular attention to eight rural areas with a lower amount of literary resources.

“Research shows that the most significant barrier to childhood literacy is a lack of access to books,” stated KPMG deputy chairman and COO P. Scott Ozanus. “For 10 years, KPMG’s Family for Literacy program has provided new books to children in need to tangibly move the needle on an issue that continues to hold millions back.”

KPMG’s Empower Collection, a collection of children’s books that feature the firm's "core values ... [of] inclusion and diversity, citizenship, environmental sustainability, ethics, and financial literacy," will be available at the Read to Achieve events. Additionally, First Book will host an online auction benefiting Family for Literacy from March 15 through 21 featuring various prizes.

kpmg-read-to-achieve-2018

For more on the program, head to KPMG's site here.

For reprint and licensing requests for this article, click here.
Corporate philanthropy Financial literacy KPMG
MORE FROM ACCOUNTING TODAY