Volunteer-led reading celebration, book donation events will distribute books to children, educators and community programs
Dallas, Texas, USA - March 3, 2017:
Thousands of new books will soon be in the hands of children in need, teachers and community programs within the Dallas area as the result of a partnership between Wipro Limited (NYSE: WIT, BSE: 507685, NSE: WIPRO), a leading global information technology, consulting and business process services company, and First Book, a nonprofit social enterprise that has delivered more than five million books to children in need. Also partnering in the local distribution is the Alliance/AFT, the largest teachers union serving the Dallas Independent School District, and their national union, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT).
Approximately 43,000 books will be distributed on March 4 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the PC Cobb Athletic Complex in Dallas as part of a "Family Festival", open to Dallas-area families in need and the educators and school staff who serve them. Additionally, community programs that work or volunteer with Title I schools, English Language Learners, special education programs, Exceptional Student Education programs and families with children attending these schools or programs will have the opportunity to participate in receiving these free books. Hundreds of volunteers from Wipro and the Alliance/AFT will be sorting and organizing more than 25 pallets of books from March 2-4 and will be present at the distribution location, to help families and students choose age-appropriate books.
The book distribution partnership with First Book is part of Wipro's broader corporate citizenship initiatives to engage with the local communities where Wipro has a strong presence. The Dallas events will kick off on March 3 at the Paul Dunbar Learning Center, where over 550 students from pre-kindergarten to fifth grade will each receive a new book to call their own. At the event, local volunteers from Wipro and the Alliance/AFT will read books to elementary students and help them choose books for their home libraries. In addition, another 200 books will be donated to the school's library to benefit its entire student body.
"We at the Alliance/AFT are thrilled to partner with Wipro and First Book," said Rena Honea, President of the Alliance/AFT. "When we work together to bring much needed books to our students, libraries and classrooms, we also are supporting our educators and school staff to provide high-quality public education for all students to help them to succeed in school and life. And that enriches our entire community."
Wipro Limited, which has its offices in Addison, Texas, has a number of employees in the local area, many of whom will volunteer during the two book distribution events. The Dallas events are part of a three-year partnership between Wipro and First Book to distribute more than 200,000 books to children in need. As part of the partnership, 19,000 books will also be distributed to children in the Boston, Indianapolis, East Palo Alto and Seattle areas in the coming months.
Book ownership and a print-rich environment are leading indicators of a child's educational success, but for the 32 million children growing up in low-income families in the U.S. alone, books are scarce. Studies have found that in low-income neighborhoods there is only one book for every 300 children; whereas in moderate income neighborhoods, there are 13 books for every one child.
“Wipro and its employees have gone above and beyond to help bring First Book’s resources into the communities where they work and live,” said Kyle Zimmer, president and CEO of First Book. “Thanks to the dedication and enthusiasm of Wipro’s employees at reading events and at book distributions, along with Wipro’s financial support, tens of thousands of children will experience the transformative power of books, to fuel learning and unlock their futures. We are enormously grateful.”
About First Book
First Book is a nonprofit social enterprise founded in 1992 that has distributed more than 150 million books and educational resources to programs and schools serving children from low-income families throughout the United States and Canada, which, with more than 275,000 members, is the largest and fastest growing network of educators exclusively serving kids in need. By making new, high-quality books and educational resources available on an ongoing basis, First Book is transforming the lives of children in need and elevating the quality of education. Eligible educators, librarians, program leaders, and others serving children in need can sign up at firstbook.org/register. For more information, please visit firstbook.org or follow the latest news on Facebook and Twitter.
About Wipro Limited.
Wipro Limited (NYSE: WIT, BSE: 507685, NSE: WIPRO) is a leading information technology, consulting and business process services company that delivers solutions to enable its clients do business better. Wipro delivers winning business outcomes through its deep industry experience and a 360 degree view of "Business through Technology." By combining digital strategy, customer centric design, advanced analytics and product engineering approach, Wipro helps its clients create successful and adaptive businesses. A company recognized globally for its comprehensive portfolio of services, strong commitment to sustainability and good corporate citizenship, Wipro has a dedicated workforce of over 170,000, serving clients across 6 continents. For more information, please visit www.wipro.com.
About American Federation of Teachers (AFT)
The AFT represents 1.6 million pre-K through 12th-grade teachers; paraprofessionals and other school-related personnel; higher education faculty and professional staff; federal, state and local government employees; nurses and healthcare workers; and early childhood educators. For more information, please go www.aft.org.
Media Contacts:
Crystal Stutes
H+K Strategies for Wipro Limited
crystal.stutes@hkstrategies.com
+1 (214) 613-0391
Prathibha Das
Wipro Limited
prathibha.das@wipro.com
Melanie Boyer
First Book
mboyer@firstbook.org
+1 202-639-0144
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