MARIO BATALI FOUNDATION AND BOOKS FOR KIDS TO OPEN NEW LIBRARY FOR AT-RISK CHILDREN IN LAS VEGAS ON NOVEMBER 7
First Mario Batali Foundation library in the state of Nevada and outside of New York
The Mario Batali Foundation is excited to announce the opening of a new Books for Kids library in Las Vegas, serving 82 children year-round at the Acelero Learning Reach Out Center. This is the ninth Books for Kids library that the Mario Batali Foundation has funded, and their first in the state of Nevada.
The opening dedication ceremony will be held on Friday, November 7 at 11 a.m. at the Acelero Learning Reach Out Center located at 1522 Pinto Lane, Las Vegas, Nevada 89106. Special guests from the Mario Batali Foundation and the Batali & Bastianich Hospitality Group, as well as guests from Books for Kids and the Acelero Learning Reach Out Center will be in attendance. Children from the Acelero Learning Reach Out Center will also be on hand.
“We’ve opened nine libraries with Books for Kids and with each new library opening, I grow more hopeful that one day we will see an end to illiteracy in this country. When we started the Mario Batali Foundation, I couldn’t imagine how many children these libraries would touch. It’s an amazing feeling to see this dream being realized,” said Mario Batali, Chef/Founder of the Mario Batali Foundation.
The opening ceremony will include a ribbon cutting for the library, a book reading, and remarks from the Mario Batali Foundation, Books for Kids, and the Acelero Learning Reach Out Center. There will also be a special thank you from the children of the Reach Out Center.
“Books For Kids is grateful for the continued support of the Mario Batali Foundation, and is thrilled to expand our national reach with the first Mario Batali Foundation library outside of New York, in a community of need in Las Vegas,” said Amanda Hirsh, Executive Director of Books for Kids. “The generosity of the Mario Batali Foundation makes it possible for us to provide under-served children with access to books and other important literacy resources that they might not otherwise have, and to build the necessary skills they need to be successful in school, and in life.”
Since 2011, the Mario Batali Foundation has sponsored three new libraries in New York City, in Manhattan, on the Lower East Side, the Upper West Side, and Chelsea; and has sponsored the renovation of five Books for Kids libraries in Brooklyn, New York.
“As the Center Director of the Reach Out Center of Acelero Learning, I’m am please to have this very generous donation to our school. This gives the children and families opportunity to have books on hand to check out and be able to read at home. I know this will be a wonderful contribution to our school and community,” said Erin John, Center Director of the Reach Out Center.
“Acelero Learning Clark County has made strides to increase family literacy and prepare young children for future success with our Reading Readiness Roundup initiative in the spring of 2014. This gift from the Mario Batali Foundation and Books for Kids greatly furthers our work and supports our ongoing literacy efforts. We are so thankful for their generous contribution, establishing a lending library at our Reach Out Head Start center,” said Dr. Rory Sipp, Executive Director for Acelero Clark County.
ABOUT BOOKS FOR KIDS
The mission of Books for Kids is to promote literacy among all children with a special emphasis on low-income and at-risk preschool-aged children. Books for Kids creates libraries, donates books, and implements literacy programs to develop the critical early foundation and skills which young children need to be successful in life. To learn more about Books for Kids, please visit www.booksforkids.org.
ABOUT THE MARIO BATALI FOUNDATION
Long before he was a household name, Mario Batali was a philanthropist. Whether donating his time, services or dollars, Mario has been actively involved in the charities close to his heart for many years to raise awareness and support for children’s disease research and relief, and hunger relief. Prompted by these philanthropic efforts, in 2008, Mario launched the Mario Batali Foundation. The Foundation strives to ensure that all children are well read, well fed and well cared for. To learn more about the Mario Batali Foundation, visit www.mariobatalifoundation.org.
ABOUT ACELERO LEARNING REACH OUT CENTER
The Acelero Learning Reach Out Center currently serves 82 children, ages three to five. 100% of the children enrolled there live below the poverty line. The mission of Acelero Learning is to bring a relentless focus on positive child and family outcomes to close the achievement gap and build a better future for children, families, and communities served by the Head Start program. Acelero Learning brings value to Head Start by managing programs well, providing high quality service, and never forgetting that caring is the most important thing for children and families. The Reach Out Center currently has a Reading Readiness Committee, made up of teachers and parents, that works to promote literacy at the site, and which will flourish with the gift of a brand new Books for Kids and Mario Batali Foundation library.