NYSUT Editor’s Note: Pictured above with his children, Webster Teachers Association (WTA) Members joined with Union President Christopher Wojtas to hand out free books at the community's Summer kickoff bash.   (NYSUT Provided Photo)

(ROCHESTER, NEW YORK) - This is the kind of community outreach that will have a long shelf life: giving books to children.  A truckload of 42,000 books from First Book Incorporated and the New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) Union has been delivered to Western New York, where Union Members put books in the hands of students and will continue to give them away all Summer to children and families at festivals, galas, street fairs and canal days.

Near Rochester, Webster Teachers Association (WTA) Members handed out books at the annual Webster Summer Kickoff Bash at the local recreation center. 

The WTA took delivery of 16,000 books during Spring and delivered hundreds of them to each building with the help of Teachers, administrators, board members and School-Related Professionals.

WTA Union Members also took boxes of books to the Golisano’s Children Hospital in Rochester to brighten the spirits of sick and terminally ill children, Union President Christopher Wojtas said.

At a much-heralded book giveaway in Fairport, 5,000 books were handed out to students and families during Fairport Canal Days by the Fairport Educators Association (FEA) and Monroe BOCES United Professionals, Union Leader Andy Jordan said.

“It was a ‘huge’ success,” said Jordan, Co-President of the Monroe BOCES UP. “We received ‘personal thanks’ from the mayor and village board, and one board member told us ‘this is the best thing to ever happen to canal days.’  There were ‘lots of happy’ smiles.”

It was a big bump from the 1,500 books Members gave out last year.

This year’s stock of 10,000 new books was culled from First Book and donations from Union Members and Retirees and will be shared throughout the Summer at different community events by volunteer educators from both Unions.

“We ‘are more than just an association of Educators, we are members of our community who never miss an opportunity to teach and help families realize the very best for their children,’” FEA President Sue Casement said.

NYSUT works with First Book Incorporated, a non-profit organization in partnership with the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), to provide books at low-to-no cost to New York schools and programs serving low-income families and children in need.

“Providing for our students in need ‘is a Social Justice Union Value,’” NYSUT Secretary-Treasurer Philippe Abraham said. “We’re ‘so proud’ of the efforts of our Members ‘to make sure every child has a book for Summer reading and book to call their own.’”

To Directly Access This Labor News Story, Go To: www.nysut.org/news/2019/june/rochester-area-unions-ramp-up-first-book-giveaways-to-inspire-summer-reading