TORONTO, Feb. 11, 2014 /CNW/ - Indigo (TSX: IDG), Canada's largest purveyor of books and creative inspiration, welcomed Toronto Raptors All-Star DeMar DeRozan and fiancé Kiara Morrison to Indigo Eaton Centre in Toronto as they announced the launch of the DeMar DeRozan All Star Book Program, in partnership with The BIGA Picture, First Book Canada and the Indigo Love of Reading Foundation. The new program will donate more than 3,000 books to ten grade five classes from ten schools in low income areas of Toronto.
"Promoting literacy and supporting youth in the Toronto community is very important to me because I personally benefited from a strong support team when I was growing up and saw firsthand the difference it can make," said DeMar DeRozan.
Students, teachers and principals from the schools attended the launch, along with the authors and publishers of the books that will be donated.
The DeMar DeRozan All Star Book Program challenges students from one grade five class in ten schools to read a book and write a report each week for ten weeks, representing DeRozan's jersey number: 10. The class with the most comprehensive book reports will win tickets to a Toronto Raptors home game, a visit by DeRozan and more books for every student in the winning class.
"We're thrilled to be working with partners that have such a strong commitment to children's literacy," said Jennifer Jones, Director, Indigo Love of Reading Foundation. "Together we're able to enrich even more children's lives."
The 10 Schools
| School | City |
| Eastbourne Drive Public School | Brampton |
| St. Josephine Bakhita Catholic Elementary School | Brampton |
| North Kipling Junior Middle School | Etobicoke |
| Monsignor John Corrigan School | Etobicoke |
| Queen of Heaven Catholic School | Mississauga |
| Cornell Junior Public School | Scarborough |
| St. Lawrence Catholic School | Scarborough |
| St. Jane Frances Catholic School | Toronto |
| Lord Dufferin Junior and Senior Public School | Toronto |
| Dixie Public School | Mississauga |
The 10 Books
| Title | Book |
| Alien Invaders | Jane Drake and Ann Love |
| The Fortress of Kaspar Snit | Cary Fagan |
| Because of Winn-Dixie | Kate DiCamillo |
| The Ghost of the Stanley Cup | Roy Macgregor |
| Star Academy | Edward Kay |
| Hoot | Carl Hiaasen |
| Noah Barleywater Runs Away | John Boyne |
| Liar & Spy | Rebecca Stead |
| Harriet the Spy | Louise Fitzhugh |
| The Nose from Jupiter | Richard Scrimger |
About the DeMar DeRozan All Star Book Program
The DeMar DeRozan All Star Book Program is a unique and innovative student centered program for fifth grade classes around the Greater Toronto area. This initiative will distribute over 3,000 books to children enrolled in ten schools located in low income areas of Toronto. The goal of this All Star Book Program is to enhance the students reading ability, as well as nurture their love for reading by challenging them to read some of the most noteworthy books written for their peer group. This program is a collaborative partnership led by Toronto Raptors All-Star DeMar DeRozan and Kiara Morrison, The BIGA Picture, First Book Canada, and the Indigo Love of Reading Foundation.
For more information on this program, please contact Orrin White, Director of Community Engagement, The BIGA Picture
Orrin White
Director of Community Engagement, The BIGA Picture
(610) 400-4926
[email protected]
About First Book Canada
First Book Canada, a registered charity with an office in Toronto, provides new books and educational resources to Canadian children from low-income families. Through work with publishing partners, an ever expanding network of volunteers, and book recipient groups, First Book Canada grants children in need unprecedented access to free and low cost books. First Book Canada works through existing community programs and literacy efforts already serving this population, elevating the quality of these programs with additional mission-related resources. For more information, visit www.firstbookcanada.org.
Tom Best
Executive Director
416-949-0056
[email protected]
About the Love of Reading Foundation and Indigo Books & Music Inc.
With books always at our heart and soul at Indigo we are about telling stories and creating experiences. Indigo is Canada's largest purveyor of ideas and inspiration to enrich your life, with books, specialty toys, gifts and lifestyle enhancing products that affordably offer intrinsic quality, beauty and timeless design. As the largest book and specialty retailer in Canada, Indigo operates in all provinces under different banners including Indigo Books & Music; Indigo Books, Gifts, Kids; IndigoSpirit, Chapters, The World's Biggest Bookstore, and Coles and online at www.indigo.ca.
Indigo Books & Music Inc. founded the Indigo Love of Reading Foundation in 2004 to address the underfunding of Canadian public school libraries and the resulting literacy crisis. Every year the Indigo Love of Reading Foundation Literacy Fund commits $1.5 million to transform high-needs elementary school libraries and its Adopt a School program unites Indigo employees, customers and their communities in raising money to rejuvenate elementary high-needs school libraries. To date the Indigo Love of Reading Foundation has committed over $15.5 million to more than 1,550 schools nationally.
Image with caption: "Raptors All-Star DeMar DeRozan Launches Children's Literacy Program at Indigo Eaton Centre (CNW Group/Indigo Books & Music Inc.)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20140211_C9334_PHOTO_EN_36574.jpg
SOURCE: Indigo Books & Music Inc.
Please contact Josh Zeliger, Public Relations, Indigo for further information:
Josh Zeliger
Coordinator, Public Relations
O: 416-364-4499 ext. 6840
C: 416-529-6354
E: [email protected]
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