Local organizations receive nearly 2K new books through Black Hills Reads

RAPID CITY S.D. – Black Hills reads was selected among over 100 applications to receive an award of $7,250 for new books and eBooks through the First Book OMG Book Awards program.

Black Hills Reads distributed 1,913 books to 6 different organizations, including: TREC Badlands Head Start, Early Childhood Connections, Rural America Initiatives, South Dakota Department of Health, Black Hills Special Services Cooperative 21st Century Discovery Centers, and Baby’s First Book Bag through the Black Hills Reads program. Also, 32 teachers in the Black Hills received credit from the grant to order books for their classrooms.

“It truly takes a village to help children reach their goal of 3rd grade reading proficiency. With this award, we will be able to bring new, high-quality, contemporary books to the kids we serve,” said Kayla Klein, director of Black Hills Reads. “This will make a tangible difference as we work to spark a love of reading and increase access to rich literature which is essential to learning.”

First Book is a non-profit social enterprise focused on equal access to quality education for children in need. First Book believes education offers children in need the best path out of poverty. Through sustainable, market-driven models, First Book breaks down barriers to quality education by making new, high-quality books and educational resources, including sports equipment, winter coats, snacks, and more, affordable to its member network of more than 400,000 registered educators who exclusively serve kids in need.

Since 1992, First Book has distributed more learning materials than any other program of its kind: 175 million books and educational resources, worth more than $1.5 billion, reaching more than 5 million children annually across the U.S. and Canada.

South Dakota was among the nine states in the first cycle of awards. First Book estimates the total value of books distributed will be more that $12 million.

Black Hills Reads is a initiative under the United Way of the Black Hills. For more information on the program, visit their website HERE