Book grants available for children's literacy programs

Sussex County — Norwescap's First Book in Sussex County is now accepting book grant applications from local nonprofit programs serving children in need. First Book hopes to grant out approximately 2,000 new books to programs. To qualify, applications must be a tutoring, mentoring or family literacy program. The organizations are required to incorporate reading as part of their program activities, serve children and families from low-income households, provide multiple distributions to each child in the program, and support the child's ongoing education outside of the school classroom setting. Applications are due by Thursday, Sept. 15. First Book is a national nonprofit organization with a single mission: to provide low-income children with their first new books. The network of community volunteers, from all sectors of the community, work to promote and facilitate the distribution of new books to literacy programs in their area. The book grants are made possible through local fundraising efforts by members of First Book. Former groups who have received grants are: Norwescap's Early Head Start; Sussex, Hopatcong and Branchville Head Start; Project Self Sufficiency; Domestic Abuse Services Inc.; The Center for Prevention and Counseling; Northwest New Jersey Maternal Child Health; Sussex County Community College; Big Brothers Big Sisters; Brookside Terrace Lifelong Learning Center; and Newton Even Start. Norwescap is a non-profit community action agency established in 1965 that creates opportunities for over 30,000 low-income people in Northwest New Jersey by providing a large portfolio of self-sufficiency and emergency services. For more information, call Sharon at 973-383-3461.