A Boat Load of Books, a World of Reading; First Book and Urban Teacher Education Program Team up to Provide Books for Houston Children and Families.

HOUSTON -- To promote literacy and reading in Houston communities, First Book-Houston is distributing 500 books to students from James L. Ketelsen Elementary, with the help of the University of Houston-Downtown, at 4:30 p.m., Friday, September 23. The event will be held in the Special Events Center at UH-Downtown, 1 Main Street in Houston. Pam Van Scoyoc, children's book author and member of First Book - Houston, is expected to attend and will donate some of her books to the children.

"As hard as it is to believe, some children in Houston do not own a book or have age-appropriate books in their homes," said Dolores Colunga-Stawitz, Chair, First Book-Houston. "Through this distribution, we are reaching out to some of those children and providing them with the opportunity to discover a whole new world through reading."

The book distribution kicks off the First Book Regional Conference in Houston, with UH-Downtown serving as the host site, September 23-24. First Book is a national nonprofit organization that provides new books to children in need. The conference will serve First Book volunteers and literacy leaders from across the region. The conference will address First Book procedures and practices, as well as sessions covering how to share books with children and engage parents to break the cycle of intergenerational illiteracy, increasing community awareness of literacy issues, and fundraising. The theme of the conference, A Boat Load of Books, A World of Reading, showcases the U.S. Coast Guard's active participation in First Book. First Book has been the signature charity of the Coast Guard since 2000. The Coast Guard provides volunteers, logistical support and warehouse space for the organization across the country.

Pam Van Scoyoc is the author of two published books: Angel Wings and The Ballerina with Webbed Feet/La Bailarina Palmipeda. She left a traditional job in 1998 and currently writes and illustrates children's books.

About First Book

First Book is a national nonprofit organization that gives children from low-income families the opportunity to read and own their first new books. In neighborhoods across the country, First Book Advisory Boards unite leaders from all sectors of the community to identify the most effective community-based literacy programs reaching children living at or below the poverty line and provide them with First Book grants of free books and educational materials. The First Book National Book Bank, a subsidiary program of First Book, is the first centralized system that enables publishers to donate books and educational materials online to reach millions of children who need them the most. First Book has distributed more than 33 million new books to children in need in hundreds of communities nationwide. To learn more about First Book, please visit www.FirstBook.org.

UH-Downtown

UH-Downtown is a public university, offering a wide variety of bachelor's degrees, as well as master's programs in criminal justice, professional writing, security management and teaching. One of four distinct universities in the UH System, Houston's Downtown University is nationally recognized for its student diversity, outstanding academic opportunities and productive community partnerships. At UHD, the emphasis is on excellence in teaching and student success.

Please use UH-Downtown, UHD or University of Houston-Downtown when referring to our university.