Jumpstart Teams With Ll Cool J And Eight Best Selling Authors To Benefit “Scribbles To Novels”

PRLog (Press Release) – Apr 22, 2008 – Jumpstart, the award-winning children’s literacy and education organization, today announced the fourth annual “Scribbles to Novels” initiative.  As part of the launch, Jumpstart has partnered with eight best selling authors for a fund raising gala honoring preschooler’s literacy, language and social development.  More than 450 key influencers are expected to attend this year’s reception, which is expected to raise $600,000.  The 2008 event will be held at New York’s glorious Altman Building on April 28.

The 2008 hosts include Holly Peterson (“The Manny”), E. Lynn Harris (“ I Say A Little Prayer”), Tomie dePaola (“Front Porch Tales”), Laura Dave (“Best City In America”), Byron Harmon (“God Gave Me Some Bad News”), Adrienne Lopez  (“To Love, Honor, and Betray: The Secret Lives of Suburban Housewives”), William Rhoden (“40 Million Dollar Slaves: The Rise, Fall and Redemption of the Black Athlete”) and Anya Ulinich (“Petropolis”).

As part of the gala’s run-of-show, Jumpstart will announce the latest installment of the national literacy campaign “Read for the Record,” which hosts the largest shared reading experience on a set day.  This year’s chosen book is Don Freeman’s classic children’s story “Corduroy” about a shopworn teddy that dreams of finding and enjoying a home.  In conjunction with the campaign on October 2, Jumpstart will premiere a celebrity PSA featuring honorary spokesperson and multi-platinum recording artist and actor LL Cool J.

Additionally, “Scribbles to Novels” will honor donor and new chair of Jumpstart’s Board of Directors, Christopher J. Stadler, managing partner at CVC Partners.  In-kind donors for this endeavor include: Starbright Florals, and Print International.  Additional sponsors include Bank of America, Sodexho, American Eagle Outfitters and Starbucks. 

About Read for the Record
Jumpstart’s Read for the Record is a national campaign to encourage hundreds of thousands of children and adults to read the same book, Coduroy, on the same day, October 2, 2008. The expansive shared reading experience will raise public awareness about the early education gap that exists between income levels, as well as raise money to support Jumpstart’s national early education programs.