Much has changed since Scholastic was founded in 1920, including new businesses that revolutionized access to books and global expansion that has expanded our ability to engage children around the world, but through it all our mission and promise have remained the same: to positively impact the children we serve. We are committed to empowering families, educators and communities to build a better future for the next generation.
This commitment is what informs and inspires our approach to corporate sustainability. We tap into our core strengths of publishing and distribution to improve the lives of underserved children through literacy partnerships, innovative outreach programs, and strategic in-kind giving. We address the reality that many children do not grow up in literacy-rich environments or have access to quality books, and that families need information, resources and assistance as they encourage and support their children’s development as strong readers.
Scholastic is proud to work side-by-side with not-for-profit organizations at both the corporate and divisional levels in this effort. This includes our 25-year corporate partnership with Save the Children through which we provide millions of children access to quality books through literacy and early education programs. Two Scholastic divisions have created signature partnerships including The Scholastic Book Fairs All for Books program which matches donations made by Book Fairs attendees to help purchase and donate books through a network of organizations such as the Kids In Need Foundation, Reader to Reader, Inc., and the National Center for Families Learning. Since 2009, Scholastic Book Club classrooms have collected and donated nearly 500,000 pairs of pajamas to Pajama Program, a nonprofit organization that provides new books and new pajamas to children in need, many of whom are waiting and hoping to be adopted.
Scholastic is also committed to being a good citizen in the local communities where we do business, including Jefferson City, MO, the home of our national distribution center. Our Jefferson city staff are dedicated to helping make the community a better place to live by partnering with the United Way of Central Missouri, the Food Bank of Central Missouri, Partners in Education and other non-profit organizations in the area.
As a company committed to providing quality books and educational materials for children, we believe it is our responsibility to help protect the planet they will inherit. We are proud to be a leader in responsible environmental stewardship through all of our paper procurement practices, striving to produce quality products in a responsible manner from design to material specification to finished goods.
Engaging with impact and integrity is a meaningful reflection of Scholastic both as a global corporate citizen and a good neighbor in the many communities we serve.
