BIRMINGHAM, Ala.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Customers of Books-A-Million donated $65,500 to Reading Is Fundamental. Donations were accepted September 13 through 19 and will be fully distributed to Reading Is Fundamental. The funds will provide nearly 22,000 books and literacy resources to children and families in economically disadvantaged communities throughout the United States.
“We are thrilled to partner with Books-A-Million to provide books for children who need them most,” said Carol H. Rasco, President and CEO of Reading Is Fundamental. “There are millions of children living in poverty who don’t have access to books. Thanks to the generosity of Books-A-Million and its customers, children have a greater opportunity to read, learn and grow.”
This donation drive also marked the successful start of the BAM Brigade initiative, which unites Books-A-Million’s customers and associates to support a good cause. The BAM Brigade rallies to support all of Books-A-Million’s philanthropic activities, including Coffee for the Troops, The Salvation Army donation drives, School Book Drives, and continues its history of supporting local communities.
“We’re excited to see so many readers unite for a good cause,” said Scott Kappler, Vice President of Marketing at Books-A-Million. “We can't thank our customers and associates enough for supporting such a wonderful organization. At Books-A-Million, we are passionate about reading and it’s great to know, with the support of our customers, that we can help make a difference in so many lives.”
The success of the Reading Is Fundamental donation drive reaffirms the support that Books-A-Million’s customers, associates and partners have in all BAM Brigade philanthropic efforts. Prior to the success of the Reading Is Fundamental campaign, the BAM Brigade rallied to donate over 50,000 bags of coffee to U.S. troops and veterans in the Coffee for the Troops program.
ABOUT BOOKS-A-MILLION
Books-A-Million, Inc. is one of the nation’s leading book retailers and sells on the Internet at www.booksamillion.com. The Company presently operates 258 stores in 32 states and the District of Columbia. Included in the Company’s retail operations is the operation of Yogurt Mountain Holding, LLC, a retailer and franchisor of self-serve frozen yogurt stores with 42 locations. The Company also develops and manages commercial real estate investments through its subsidiary, Preferred Growth Properties, which presently include four retail shopping centers. The common stock of Books-A-Million, Inc. is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol BAMM. For more information, visit the Company’s corporate website at www.booksamillioninc.com.
Follow Books-A-Million on Twitter (http://twitter.com/booksamillion) and like us on Facebook (http://facebook.com/booksamillion).
ABOUT READING IS FUNDAMENTAL
Reading Is Fundamental delivers free books and literacy resources to children and families in economically disadvantaged communities in the United States. By giving children the opportunity to own a book, RIF inspires them to become lifelong readers and achieve their full potential. RIF is leading the way to help minimize the summer learning slide through Read for Success, a proven program model aimed at early elementary students to reduce summer reading loss and improve literacy proficiency all year long. As the nation’s largest children’s literacy nonprofit, RIF has placed 412 million books in the hands of more than 40 million children since it was established in 1966. To learn more and help provide books to kids who need them most, visit www.RIF.org.
