BOSTON — Kevin Youkilis Hits for Kids today announced the launch of the first “Batting for Books” campaign to benefit the Boston Public Schools. Together with the City of Boston and the Boston Red Sox, the slugger’s charitable organization is dedicated to enhancing the Boston Public Schools by collecting over 100,000 new or gently used books to donate to the schools’ libraries. Book donations will be collected at each of Fenway Park’s five gates during the Red Sox weekend series against the Kansas City Royals on Saturday, July 11 and Sunday, July 12.
“We are so excited to launch this program because we know that it will have an immediate positive impact on the public school libraries throughout Greater Boston,” said Youkilis, one of the Co-Founder’s of the organization. “Our school’s libraries are in desperate need of new books, and without spending a dime, contributors to the book drive will be able to directly support the reading skills and overall education of our city’s children.”
The “Batting for Books” campaign will benefit the Boston Public Schools libraries at no cost to the City of Boston. The program was originally conceived by Youk’s Kids during a visit to one of the public school libraries in 2007 and the resulting realization that a little help from the community could vastly improve the quality and amount of books available for children to read. Currently, the average age of a book on the shelf at the libraries is twelve years old.
“We want this campaign to be as successful as possible, and that is why we are swinging for the fences and have set our collection goal at over 100,000 books,” said Enza Sambataro-Youkilis, Co-Founder & President of Youk’s Kids. “Judging by the passion that the Red Sox and their fans have for the City of Boston, we are confident that we will surpass our goal.”
“We are very grateful to Kevin Youkilis and Hits for Kids for launching this exciting campaign,” said Dr. Carol R. Johnson, Superintendent of the Boston Public Schools. “This partnership will make a tremendous difference in our work to strengthen literacy skills among all Boston Public Schools students.”
While all children’s books titles are welcome in the book drive, Boston Public Schools has compiled a recommended list of titles for the libraries. Each of these titles is available at a 20% discount at the New England Mobile Book Fair in Newton, and online at http://www.ecookbooks.com/battingforbooks.
In addition to the City of Boston and the Red Sox, Youk’s Kids has also partnered with the following organizations to ensure that the drive runs smoothly and successfully: Valvoline Instant Oil Change, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Mark’s Movers, New England Mobile Book Fair, Rounder Records, and Lesley University.
Valvoline Instant Oil Change will also be accepting book donations at all their MA, NH & RI locations starting on June 15, and there will also be a collection point at the New England Mobile Book Fair in Newton. Houghton Mifflin has also pledged to match the number of books donated at Fenway Park on July 11 and 12.
For more information, please visit http://www.youkskids.org/index.html
About Kevin Youkilis Hits for Kids
Kevin Youkilis Hits for Kids is a charitable organization focused on raising support and awareness for the health, advocacy, safety, and well-being of children. Rallying the support of individuals and businesses Kevin Youkilis Hits for Kids teams up with existing community-based children’s charities and medical research efforts, which currently lack sufficient funding. Kevin Youkilis Hits for Kids also identifies and partners with businesses that can deliver products and services to children in need, on the behalf of Youk’s Kids. To learn more about Kevin Youkilis Hits for Kids, or to make a donation, please visit www.youkskids.org.
