-- JetBlue Invites Customers, Crewmembers
and the Community to Share #BookDrop Moments and Inspire Book
Donations to Communities in Need --
-- JetBlue Welcomes Marley Dias, Founder of
#1000BlackGirlBooks, as the Latest Soar with Reading Partner and
Ambassador --
JetBlue (Nasdaq: JBLU), New York’s Hometown Airline®, today
launched its ninth annual Soar with Reading initiative in its
hometown, marking the first time its innovative free book vending
machines have touched down in New York City. Soar with Reading, an
award-winning literacy initiative, tackles the issue of book
availability in underserved communities, where access to
age-appropriate books for children is often limited. Since 2015,
JetBlue has taken a creative approach to this issue through its
free book vending machine program which previously visited Detroit;
San Francisco and Oakland, Calif.; Washington, DC and Fort
Lauderdale, Fla.
This press release features multimedia. View
the full release here:
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190711005667/en/
JetBlue’s Soar with Reading Initiative
lands in New York City, placing free book vending machines in each
of the five boroughs in areas of need. (Photo: Business Wire)
This summer, JetBlue will place six free book vending machines
throughout New York City’s five boroughs, in areas where the need
is greatest. The six vending machines will be placed in
neighborhoods where the ability to purchase age appropriate books
is limited, with one machine in each borough and two in Queens. To
date, JetBlue, through its Soar with Reading initiative, has
donated more than $3.5 million worth of books to kids in need.
“New York City is home to thousands of JetBlue crewmembers who
work in the airline’s New York Support Center and JFK International
and LaGuardia Airports,” said U.S. Congressman Gregory Meeks, who
represents New York’s Fifth Congressional District, mostly in
Queens, where two vending machines will reside. “I encourage
children and their families to take as many books as they want, as
often as they want, throughout the summer – no strings attached –
in the hopes that offering free access to books in a fun and
convenient way will spark a lifelong love of reading.”
“As New York City’s hometown airline, we’re excited to bring our
Soar with Reading program home. Over the past five years, we’ve
made a tremendous impact with our book vending machine program,”
said Icema Gibbs, director of corporate social responsibility,
JetBlue. “We can’t deny the need right in our own backyard. This
year, it was important for us to focus our efforts on the city that
welcomed us from day one and made us who are. Although we’re
located in Long Island City, there is so much more to New York
City, from Brownsville to the South Bronx, Harlem and the Rockaways
to Port Richmond. Our goal is to help improve book access for
children in every borough and beyond.”
The vending machines, powered by Innovative Vending Solutions,
will be restocked every two weeks with new titles and will feature
a diverse cast of characters as well as options in both English and
Spanish. Publishing partners include HarperCollins Publishers,
Little Bee Books, Lil’ Libros, Scholastic, Candlewick Press,
Penguin Random House, Hachette Book Group and Barefoot Books.
Additionally, the vending machines will include select books for
adults as research shows that parents displaying behaviors like
reading can improve educational outcomes for children.
“It’s so important to keep our kids entertained and engaged in
learning while school is out during the summer. In Queens, we’re
thrilled to welcome two free book machines that will be dispensing
titles that are appropriate for all ages and reflect the incredible
diversity of our borough,” said Queens Borough President Melinda
Katz.
Vending machines will be located at:
- Brooklyn: Brownsville Recreation Center | 1555 Linden
Blvd. | Brooklyn, NY 11212
- Bronx: PAL, Inc. New South Bronx Center | 991 Longwood
Ave | Bronx, NY 10459
- Manhattan: Riverbank State Park | 679 Riverside
Drive| New York, NY 10031
- Queens: Queens Public Library – Main Branch |
89-11 Merrick Blvd | Jamaica, NY 11432
- Queens: Ocean Bay Community Cornerstone | 57-10
Beach Channel Drive | Arverne, NY 11692
- Staten Island: Faber Park | Richmond Terrace | Staten
Island, NY 10302
“For kids from disadvantaged backgrounds, summer often marks the
beginning of the infamous summer slide,” says Dr. Susan B. Neuman,
professor of childhood and literacy education at NYU Steinhardt.
“Studies have shown that owning 25 books or more has a sizable
effect on achievement, with each additional increment of books,
such as 10 or more, improving achievement. This program allows
children to own books and combat the knowledge loss that so often
accompanies summer.”
#BookDrop:
JetBlue would like to spread the book love beyond New York.
Every child deserves their own #BookDrop moment. What is a
#BookDrop moment? That’s up to you to decide, whether it’s a book
that changed your outlook forever, a package of literary aid, the
sound a book makes falling from a vending machine distributing free
books, or all of the above.
This summer, JetBlue invites customers, crewmembers and the
community to inspire others by using the tag #BookDrop and tagging
@jetblue with a personal message about their own #BookDrop moment.
For every post shared, JetBlue will donate a book to communities
with limited book access. (a)
Soar with Reading
Ambassador:
To celebrate this year’s Soar with Reading initiative, Marley
Dias, the founder of #1000BlackGirlBooks, will serve as the latest
partner and ambassador for JetBlue’s Soar with Reading program. At
just 14 years old, Marley has become a leading voice advocating for
diversity in children’s literature and improved book access for
kids in underserved communities. Her book, Marley Dias Gets It
Done: And So Can You!, will be featured in the book vending
machines throughout the summer.
"I am thrilled to have my book included in JetBlue's Soar
Reading program this year," says Marley Dias, founder of
#1000BlackGirlBooks. "Being a part of this initiative offers a
unique opportunity to address and promote diversity in literature.
I believe all children deserve access to books and JetBlue's
reading program offers a viable solution for children in need.
"
JetBlue For Good - Soar with Reading is a signature
program of JetBlue For Good®, the airline’s platform for social
impact and corporate responsibility. As the program continues to
grow, JetBlue is working to ensure that the books in the vending
machines represent the communities where the machines will be
placed. The selection of books in the machines will be changed out
every two weeks so kids can come back and grab new books all summer
long, for free.
The SoarwithReading.com experience includes an experiential
website which offers free downloadable resources for families,
interactive reading lists, games, advice for keeping kids engaged
in reading all summer long and more. Passport booklets filled with
activities will also be distributed at JetBlue terminals across the
U.S. and throughout the Caribbean and Latin America in July and
August to encourage summer reading.
Giving back is part of JetBlue’s DNA and is core to its mission
of inspiring humanity. Centered around volunteerism and service,
JetBlue For Good focuses on the areas that are most important to
the airline’s customers and crewmembers - community,
youth/education and the environment. Combining JetBlue’s corporate
efforts with its customers’ and crewmembers’ passions, the common
theme is Good – JetBlue For Good. Join the #JetBlueForGood
conversation on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, check for regular
updates and get involved.
About JetBlue
JetBlue is New York's Hometown Airline®, and a leading carrier
in Boston, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood, Los Angeles (Long Beach),
Orlando, and San Juan. JetBlue carries more than 42 million
customers a year to 100+ cities in the U.S., Caribbean, and Latin
America with an average of more than 1,000 daily flights. For more
information please visit jetblue.com.
(a) “The Soar with Reading Campaign on 8/31/2019. For every book
drop moment shared publicly on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram
including the hashtag #BookDrop, JetBlue will donate one (1) book.
Books will be donated to children and non-profit organizations in
areas of need up to a maximum of 100,000 books. This program is in
no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by or associated with
Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.” See details at
www.soarwithreading.com.
View source
version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190711005667/en/
MEDIA JetBlue Corporate Communications Tel: +1 718 709
3089 corpcomm@jetblue.com
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