BOSTON, Dec. 15, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Global
learning company Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH) is giving the gift
of reading this holiday season by donating nearly 100,000 books,
valued at $1.35 million, to thousands
of children in underserved communities across the country. The
holiday contributions reinforce HMH's already robust book donation
program which has distributed $85
million worth of books globally in 2015.
In the Company's HQ market of Boston, HMH is collaborating closely with
organizations such as the Department of Children and Families (DCF)
and Globe Santa, who share HMH's commitment to helping communities
in need by extending access to resources that support education and
help families thrive. Almost 50,000 HMH children's books valued at
more than $530,000 will be
distributed to DCF sites throughout Massachusetts, while Globe Santa will deliver
holiday cheer to children in the Greater
Boston area by gifting 20,000 HMH titles, including 18,000
copies of the beloved Christmas tale The Polar Express.
"1986 Boston Globe-Horn Book Award honor book,The Polar
Express by Chris Van
Allsburg perfectly captures the magic of the holiday season
and the Globe Santa program," said Linda Pizzuti Henry, Boston Globe
Managing Director. "Thanks to the generosity of Houghton Mifflin
Harcourt, 18,000 children across the Commonwealth will receive a
copy of this classic picture book in their Globe Santa packages
this year. We couldn't ask for a more perfect partnership during
the holiday season."
In addition to DCF and Globe Santa, HMH has partnered with
several other organizations to distribute an additional 12,000
books, valued at over $415,000, in
Boston and beyond. The
organizations and programs include:
- The TODAY Show Annual Holiday Toy and Gift Drive:
For the fifth year running, HMH has donated children's books to the
TODAY Show Annual Holiday Toy and Gift Drive, to be
distributed among charities throughout the US, including
Angelwish.org and Operation Homefront. Earlier today, Mary Cullinane, HMH's Chief Content Officer and
Executive Vice President of Corporate Affairs, joined TODAY
Show hosts Kathie Lee Gifford and
Hoda Kotb to announce the 2015
donation valued at $150,000.
- Christmas in the City: This Boston-based volunteer
organization strives to ameliorate the impact of being homeless on
families and children living in shelters. This holiday season HMH
donated 15,000 books to the organization, to be distributed at the
annual Christmas in the City holiday party at the Boston Convention
and Exhibition Center on Sunday, Dec.
20. Over 3,000 children and parents from homeless shelters
in and around Boston will enjoy a
banquet, live entertainment and kid-friendly games, in addition to
receiving a personalized gift from Santa.
- Boys and Girls Clubs of Boston: Throughout 2015, HMH and
the Boys and Girls Clubs of Boston
have developed a strong partnership rooted in a shared commitment
to quality learning experiences. This December, HMH donated 1,100
children's books, which included 500 copies of The Polar
Express. The books will be distributed to the Jordan Club in
Chelsea, Yawkey Club in
Roxbury and Hennigan Club in
Jamaica Plain.
- Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO): HMH is the lead sponsor
for the BSO's Company Christmas at Pops Children's Program, which
offers 200 children from Boston
children's services organizations the opportunity to attend a
Holiday Pops concert as special guests of the corporate community
each year. HMH donated 200 copies of Merry Christmas, Strega
Nona, which were given to the young attendees at a pre-concert
dinner featuring special guests Santa Claus, Curious George and
Martha, of the popular book and TV series Martha Speaks.
"At HMH, we are committed to changing people's lives by
fostering passionate, curious learners," said Mary Cullinane. "Every page a child turns
provides them with the opportunity to explore new worlds and engage
their imaginations in ways they never knew possible. Our donation
program strives to get more books into the hands of young readers
and helps to close the literacy gap which is a barrier to future
success."
Global book donations are just one part of HMH's corporate
social responsibility program, which is dedicated to improving
PreK-12 student outcomes in under-resourced communities.
Additional initiatives include strategic partnerships with
mission-aligned foundations and organizations, as well as HMH's
Community Investment Councils â local employee committees charged
with creating opportunities for volunteerism and impact in the
community.
About Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
(NASDAQ: HMHC) is a global learning company dedicated to changing
people's lives by fostering passionate, curious learners. As a
leading provider of pre-Kâ12 education content, services, and
cutting-edge technology solutions across a variety of media, HMH
enables learning in a changing landscape. HMH is uniquely
positioned to create engaging and effective educational content and
experiences from early childhood to beyond the classroom. HMH
serves more than 50 million students in over 150 countries
worldwide, while its award-winning children's books, novels,
non-fiction, and reference titles are enjoyed by readers throughout
the world. For more information, visit www.hmhco.com.
Follow HMH on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.
CONTACT
Leah
Riviere
Manager, Communications
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
617-351-5020
Leah.Riviere@hmhco.com
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