First Book-Bonneville County

First Book provides new books for children in need addressing one of the most important factors affecting literacy-access to books.

Description:
Established in 2003, First Book-Bonneville County consists of volunteers from throughout the Idaho Falls area, representing non-profit agencies, businesses and the community. Local organizations represented include the Post Register, Eastern Idaho Community Action Partnership, Head Start, Barnes & Noble, KIDK-TV, etc. Additionally, Advisory Board members include retired teachers, stay at home mothers, and students. Many members of the community are designated “Friends” of First Book-Bonneville County and support the Board through special events and helping to spread the word of our mission. The geographic area served by this Local Advisory Board is rural Bonneville County in Southeast Idaho.

For the 2006 Book Award Cycle, First Book-Bonneville County’s goal was to provide $8000 of new books to non-profit agencies that serve low-income children. We surpassed that goal and raised over $11,000! We also partnered with Success by Six and Partners for Prosperity to provide $75,000 worth of books in literacy kits to Southeast Idaho Head Start and Early Intervention programs. As a result, we were awarded the Senator Crapo Award of Excellence. From 2007 through 2009 First Book-Bonneville County has been able to award local literacy programs funding for more than 10,000 brand new books, serving over 1200children.

History:
First Book was founded in 1992. The First Book model was developed to leverage the work of local heroes who reach children through existing literacy programs in a variety of settings, such as Head Start centers, libraries, soup kitchens, churches, housing projects, and after school initiatives. Working through this vast network of organizations, First Book plays a critical role in transforming the quality of preschool and after-school programs nationwide.
First Book's model is national in scope and local in impact. In our first year, First Book distributed approximately 12,000 books in three communities. Since that time, First Book has distributed more than 50 million books to children in over 3,000 communities around the country.
In our first decade, First Book converted a promising distribution concept into a premier national literacy organization. During this initial phase of development, First Book experienced a nearly vertical growth curve and established a broad range of strategic corporate, government, and nonprofit partnerships. The success of this phase has enabled the organization to build a national reputation and establish the foundation for long-term growth and development.
First Book now is poised to enter a new stage of development that includes new national initiatives and international expansion. Through its committed staff, heroic local Advisory Board volunteers, and a strong national Board of Directors and Advisory Council, First Book has accomplished its initial goals and has verified the impact of our work through an extensive evaluation performed by Louis Harris.
Through our success, we have established credibility in the literacy, governmental, and corporate arenas and built a strategic set of alliances that have positioned First Book to reach an unlimited number of children and communities in the coming years.

Contact person: Kathy Duplessis, Board President, (208) 528-8396, (email)

Office fax number: (208) 528-8396

Address:

P.O. Box 1562 Idaho Falls, ID 83403

Web Site: http://www.firstbook.org/bonnevillecounty

Directions:

All volunteer board with no regular business hours.

Last updated on September 12, 2009