MONTEGO BAY, JAMAICA, September 8, 2015: Books4Kids Jamaica announced today the start of its 2015 book distribution, during which sponsors will turn out to personally deliver book bags to 8,500 children in approximately 100 schools across 9 parishes.

The charity kicked off the 2015 distribution on the first day of school, visiting 85 Kindergarten students at Rose Hall Basic School and Spot Valley Basic School in the parish of St. James. Through the program, four and five year old children receive a book bag containing a 300-page Brain Quest Workbook, 1 reading book, crayons and a pencil, while three year old Kindergarten students receive a small ABC book, crayons and a pencil.

With more than 80 schools already on the distribution list, it is expected that the total number of schools to receive books will exceed 100 this year as the charity continues to add more schools to its program, expanding its effort to promote early childhood literacy and numeracy.

The program is adding several schools in Kingston, St. Ann’s, St. Mary’s and Portland, as well as in the charity’s local parishes of St. James, Hanover and Trelawny to its distribution list.

Representatives from many of the charity’s sponsors are expected to take part in this year’s distribution, including Delta Air Lines, Jamaica Tours, Billy Craig Insurance, Grand Palladium, Iberostar, Couples Resorts, Seaboard Marine Jamaica, Royal Shop, the Orocabessa Foundation and Golden Eye. Several MP’s are also expected hand out books at local schools in support of the effort.

More than 1,000 four and five year old Kindergarten children at Montego Bay Infant School are set to receive books at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday 15th and Tuesday 22nd September, 2015.

“The Delta team will be turning out in force to hand out books to the 500 five-year old Kindergarten students at Montego Bay Infant School on Tuesday September 15 at 10:00 a.m. We are very excited to take part in this year’s book distribution, and look forward to experience the joy of the children first-hand”.

Richard Pile, Regional Field Manager for Delta Air Lines, 5-year sponsors of the program.

Stated Pile; “Delta supports the Books4Kids Jamaica program because we share the belief that investing in Early Childhood Education is as a key part of the future of our country. It is also extremely important to us that the program continues to show measured results on an annual basis.”

Over 6,000 reading books and school supplies have been provided by the One Book at a Time foundation in Montreal, Canada. This year’s books were shipped to the island courtesy of Seaboard & Freight Jamaica Ltd, local transportation company Jamaica Tours Limited (JTL) is providing its transportation services for the 8th year running. In addition to books and educational materials, Books4Kids will be bringing books, footballs, shoes and bags of rice courtesy of Food for the Poor to schools located in remote areas of the island.

This year, the charity will distribute books and educational materials at an estimated value of US$150,000.

Books4Kids Jamaica wishes to thank the many sponsors, corporations and individuals who have made this year’s book distribution possible through donations of services, items or through monetary contributions. The majority of funds for this year’s book distribution was raised through the charity’s 2015 Online Charity Auction featuring more than 100 worldwide vacation experiences, flights, cruises, services and art generously donated by sponsors. Books4Kids Jamaica also thanks The Ministry of Education, The Ministry of Finance, The Jamaican Customs Department and Keith Thorpe Ltd. for their assistance in getting the books to Jamaica.