Sarah Jessica Parker to Kick Off 'Shop for Public Schools' with Bloomberg, Klein and Kennedy

On October 1st, Mayor Bloomberg, Chancellor Klein, Caroline Kennedy and Sarah Jessica Parker will kick off Shop for Public Schools 2008 by shopping at one of our participating retailers. This year's program will be our biggest and best yet- with more participating locations than ever before. Be on the lookout for these and other famous New Yorkers shopping in your favorite stores from October 1st to October 8- you never know who you might see supporting our public schools!

Shop for Public Schools is a program developed in 2004 in partnership with New York City's retail community to raise funds for public school libraries. For one week in the fall, from October 1 through October 8, participating merchants will donate a portion of their proceeds to The Fund for Public Schools to help revitalize public school libraries across our city. So by visiting our partner retailers during this week, Shop for Public Schools gives you the opportunity to support public schools by doing what New Yorkers do best - shopping.

Learning to read and loving to read are critical to success in today's world, yet approximately 40 percent of high school graduates nationally lack the literacy skills employers seek. We face the same problems here in New York City. Close to 60% of our eighth graders and nearly 40% of our fourth graders cannot read at grade level, and in a state that allocates only $6.25 per student for library materials each year, students simply do not have adequate access to inspiring books and technology.

To help overcome this shortage, funds generated by Shop for Public Schools go toward a competitive grant program run by The Fund for Public Schools, called Library REACH (Revitalizing Education for Adolescents and Children). Librarians from high-needs schools across the city can apply for Library REACH grants of up to $10,000 to improve their libraries. Librarians can use Library REACH funds in a variety of ways - from the purchase of a new fiction collection to the creation of a cozy reading nook to make their library more inviting for students. Many librarians bring their libraries into the 21st century with new technology, including computer labs, SMART Boards, and DVD collections. Others use their Library REACH grants to purchase books and other resources that will help them partner with classroom teachers to more fully engage their students in research projects.

Once Library REACH grants are distributed, librarians begin the process of transforming their library into a vibrant center of learning. The impact can be exponential! A good library often becomes the heart of a school, enabling librarians to coordinate lesson plans with classroom teachers, reach out and involve parents, and host guest authors and workshops.

With hundreds of retail locations taking part in Shop for Public Schools, New Yorkers can help address this issue, and raise awareness of the importance of giving our students wonderful school libraries. Shop Week is one key part of The Fund for Public Schools' larger fundraising efforts for public school libraries, and we hope you'll join in the fun this year!

For more information, visit http://www.shopforpublicschools.org

Photo Credit: Sarah Jessica Parker by Linda Lenzi