JetBlue’s Soar with Reading Free Book Vending Machine Initiative Goes Virtual to Get Books into the Hands of Kids Who Need Them Most
August 09 2021 - 1:25PM
Business Wire
-- JetBlue Invites Customers, Crewmembers
and the Community to Nominate Their Favorite Youth-Focused
Nonprofit for a Chance to Receive a Free Book Donation --
-- Kids Can Select up to Six Brand New Books
Free of Charge with #BookDrop Events Taking Place in August and
September --
JetBlue (Nasdaq: JBLU) today announced its eleventh annual Soar
with Reading initiative, which tackles the issue of literacy in
areas known as book deserts, where access to age-appropriate books
for children is often very limited. This summer, JetBlue is taking
its free book vending machine initiative online due to the effects
of the coronavirus pandemic. However, this will not stop the
airline from continuing its work to help get books into the hands
of kids who need them most. Throughout August, children in select
locations and youth programs will be able to access JetBlue’s
virtual vending machine online and pick up to six books. JetBlue
will drop off these free books with the respective organizations
throughout August and September to distribute to the kids.
Books open children’s imaginations and empower them to envision
new places. Soar with Reading provides children the opportunity to
start to build their home libraries and encourages a life-long love
of reading. Customers, crewmembers and local communities are
encouraged to nominate their favorite youth-focused nonprofit for a
chance to receive access to JetBlue’s digital book vending machine.
For more information or to nominate an organization, visit
soarwithreading.com (a.).
JetBlue is collaborating with several of its longstanding
youth-focused non-profit partners in Boston, Fort Lauderdale, Los
Angeles and New York City. Local partners include Big Brothers Big
Sisters of Broward County, Boys & Girls Club of Broward County,
Boston Centers for Youth & Families, City of New York Parks
& Recreation and the Westchester Family YMCA in Los Angeles
through a partnership with Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA).
Additionally, JetBlue will provide new books directly to local
organizations in Orlando, Salt Lake City and San Juan. The
available books feature diverse characters and themes, with options
in both English and Spanish.
“It’s important for us to continue to find ways to give back and
support the communities that support us,” said Icema Gibbs, vice
president corporate social responsibility and diversity, equity and
inclusion, JetBlue. “Soar with Reading was originally developed to
help defeat the loss of knowledge that students experience over the
summer months, known as the ‘summer slide.’ It’s more relevant now
than ever. Many children have attended school virtually for more
than a year. This means countless students haven’t had a chance to
experience books during this time, nor have they traveled to the
places that imaginations soar to through reading.
Recent report show that, students’ reading scores are behind
where they would be after a normal year, with the most vulnerable
students showing the steepest drops. JetBlue is continuing to work
with childhood literacy expert Dr. Susan Neuman, professor and
chair of the Department of Teaching and Learning at New York
University (NYU), to measure the program’s impact. Dr. Neuman’s
research shows that owning 25 physical books or more has a sizable
effect on achievement, with each additional increment of books
improving literacy rates. Based on Dr. Neuman’s research, through
Soar with Reading, JetBlue is also encouraging a cross-generational
love of reading as it’s been proven that children are more
interested in reading when they see their parents also engaging
with books.
Soar with Reading previously visited Detroit; San Francisco;
Washington, DC; Fort Lauderdale; and New York City where JetBlue
distributed 40,000 books in its own backyard of Queens. In 2020, as
JetBlue worked to meet immediate pandemic needs, the airline
distributed 15,000 books in Boston directly to families through
food distribution programs. To date, JetBlue has donated more than
$3.7 million worth of books to kids 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
provided represent the diverse perspectives of the various
communities that JetBlue serves.
Giving back is part of JetBlue’s DNA and is core to its mission
of inspiring humanity. Centered on 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, and check for
regular updates to get involved.
About JetBlue Airways JetBlue is New York's Hometown
Airline®, and a leading carrier in Boston, Fort
Lauderdale-Hollywood, Los Angeles, Orlando, and San Juan. JetBlue
carries customers across the U.S, Caribbean, and Latin America. For
more information, visit jetblue.com.
(a.) NO PURCHASE, DONATION OR PAYMENT
NECESSARY. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. Program ends 11:59:59 PM ET on
8/31/21. Participants must be legal residents of the 50 U.S.
including DC and PR, 18 or older. Nomination must be a registered
501(c)(3) charity with Corporate Offices located in Domestic
JetBlue cities within the 50 U.S. including DC and PR (or outside
the U.S. only in the event the charity sponsors an office in an
International JetBlue city) and not politically connected nor
discriminatory. For a complete list of JetBlue Domestic and
International cities, visit www.jetblue.com/destinations. THERE IS
NO AWARD FOR THE NOMINATOR. For complete Terms and Conditions
including eligibility requirements, judging criteria and award
details, click here.
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JetBlue Corporate Communications corpcomm@jetblue.com
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