Kyle Zimmer
In 1992, while practicing law, I co-founded First Book, a non-profit, market-driven social enterprise that furthers equal education. Over more than 30 years, First Book has evolved into a family of social enterprises that address the needs of educators at schools and programmes serving children in low-income communities. By aggregating the collective voice of these educators and adults working in the lives of children from birth - age 18 in under-resourced communities, First Book drives access to and the creation of affordable, relevant new books and a full range of educational resources designed to remove barriers to learning. First Book's work has been recognized by the Library of Congress, the National Book Foundation, the National Education Association Foundation, the Yale School of Management, the Ms. Foundation, the Goldman Sachs Foundation, and others. Kyle serves on the Board of Dr. Seuss Enterprises, and of Ashoka. She also served on the World Economic Forum's Global Agenda Council on Values. She was a presenter and/or participant at the World Economic Forum in 2023, 2022, 2019, 2014, 2012 and 2010; she was also featured on stage at the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) in 2023 and 2015.
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- First Book
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- Model
- Hybrid Social Enterprise
- Sectors
- Education
- Headquarters
- USA
- Areas of Impact
- North America, USA, Canada
First Book
A non-profit social enterprise, First Book uses market forces to address the systemic barriers to quality education for children in need. The organization's self-sustaining models harness the collective voice and purchasing power of educators serving the poor, turning this previously fragmented group into a force to drive the critical resources most needed to fuel learning and advance education for children (ages 0-18) growing up at the base of the economic pyramid.
First Book operates in the US and Canada and has worked in more than 30 countries. The First Book Network numbers more than 375,000 classrooms and programmes, with 1,000 new educators joining each week, including preschool and afterschool programmes, homeless shelters, food banks, clinics – anywhere that serves children in need. First Book's models include: First Book National Book Bank – an online platform annually offering over 10 million donated new books for kids in need, for only the cost of shipping and handling; First Book Marketplace (FBM) – a revenue-generating ecommerce site offering over 6,000 titles, school supplies, items of basic need, digital learning content and e-devices at the lowest costs possible; First Book Accelerator – a system that identifies critical issues facing educators serving children in need and supplies them with necessary tools, reducing the usual 20-year implementation delay into mere months, making leading research available and actionable; First Book Insights – providing aggregated data and research revealing unique insights from educators dedicated to children in need.
First Book has released findings on critical children's health and social issues impacting learning. These insights advance the field through research and analytics that focus investment. Educators report that First Book: provides resources where there were none before; helps them reach more children in need; increases interest in reading; and helps close the achievement gap. In addition, First Book's collaborative, cross-sector partnerships are providing much-needed funds and resources to create equal access to quality education, transforming the educational environment. First Book has provided over 175 million books and resources. In 2016 alone, First Book distributed educational resources valued at more than $135 million. The organization is 50% self-sustaining.
awardees
Our awardees
Njideka U. Harry
Mel Young
