International Paper teams up with Coaching for Literacy to provide young students in Memphis the fundamental skill they need to be successful: literacy.
In celebration of International Literacy Day, International Paper announced that they are continuing to support Coaching for Literacy’s Fight for Literacy Games initiative to benefit school children in the Memphis area from kindergarten to 3rd grade.
International Paper is set to contribute $500,000 to generate literacy awareness and provide critical financial support to advance the work of effective local literacy programs. International Paper will sponsor six Fight for Literacy Games during the 2018-2019 NCAA men’s basketball season with the following teams: Alabama, Iowa State, Georgia Tech, LSU, Memphis, and South Carolina.
“Only 33% of 4th graders in Tennessee are reading at the proficient level,” said Memphis men’s basketball coach Penny Hardaway. “International Paper’s sponsorship of the Fight for Literacy Games initiative provides hope that we can change the statistic and create brighter futures for children through the power of literacy.”
Last season, International Paper’s Fight for Literacy Games with LSU and Memphis men’s basketball helped children like Jaden, a rising 3rd grader in MTR Camp, a summer education initiative in Memphis. During five weeks of camp, he received valuable literacy instruction from trained coaches and read books like The Secret Garden provided through the support of International Paper.
“Thanks to generous donors and partners, we supported a summer reading initiative in Memphis and provided valuable books and materials to four literacy projects in Louisiana,” said Dr. Alissa Campbell Shaw, executive director of the International Paper Foundation. “The expansion of the program to six states promises to deliver more positive outcomes for students like Jaden in communities where our employees live and work.”
Coaching for Literacy’s 100% Impact Promise ensures each donation made by Memphis fans will provide a direct, positive impact in the lives of aspiring readers at MTR Camp. To join International Paper in support of Memphis based literacy work through this season’s Fight for Literacy Game with the Memphis Tigers men’s basketball team please visit www.fightforliteracygames.org.
Sources: Annie E. Casey Foundation – www.aecf.org
