Give Back, Give Books is Rochester Education Foundation's program to give books to city school students to take home or for city school libraries.

During 2008, we look forward to continuing to accept and distribute new books, to encourage exciting literacy events with book distributions, and to engage more community members in this effort. Please contact us if you would like to donate new books, create a book drive at your workplace or school, or participate in a literacy event giving books to young people. 

Since the program's launch in 2006, REF has proudly donated more than 15,000 new books to help build the home libraries of city students, and to city school libraries. Give Back, Give Books has also:

• contributed CDs and books on tape to form a listening library for City School Secondary English teachers from Random House Listening Library
• worked with city school librarians to distribute literacy calendars donated to 5,000 city students by Wegmans in 2006 and 2007
• served as a partner with the Mayor's Literacy Initiative as it distributed 6,000 books to students in December 2007

REF also is a co-sponsor of Books and Blankets, through which more than 2,000 students received new books and a cozy blanket at six city schools in 2007. Our co-sponsor is Buddies, Bridges and Brains, a dynamic Victor group. Click here to learn more or to make a donation in support of this effort.

In 2008 we look forward to continuing to accept and distribute new books, to encourage exciting literacy events with book distributions, and to engage more community members in this effort. Give Back, Give Books is supported in 2007-2008 by generous grants from the John F. Wegman Fund, the M and T Foundation and the Marie C. and Joseph C. Wilson Foundation.

Did you know that...

• Many city school students do not have books at home.
• The average fiction book in city school libraries is about 20 years old.
• Providing books to children and school libraries is a proven way to help students become more successful academically and in the future.

Help us make a difference.