First Book of Horry County has awarded grants to literacy programs at three of Horry County Schools’ elementary schools. The grants, totaling $4,480, for 1,800 new books were presented to South Conway, Pee Dee, and Loris elementary schools.

School programs receiving new books include an afterschool enrichment program for 138 third through fifth graders at South Conway Elementary School; a tutoring program for 27 fourth and fifth grade "reluctant readers” at Pee Dee Elementary School; and an early intervention program for 80 first grade "reluctant readers” at Loris Elementary School.
 
Each student in the identified programs will receive one book per month for a year. They will also receive a bookplate on which to place their names celebrating the importance of book ownership.

First Book is a national nonprofit organization with a single mission: to give children from low-income families the opportunity to read and own their first new books. In the past three years, First Book has distributed over 20 million new books to children in need in hundreds of communities nationwide.  First Book of Horry County is part of First Book’s national network of volunteer-led Advisory Boards. In 2008 alone, First Book of Horry distributed more than 10,000 books to low-income children.
 
For more information about First Book visit http://www.firstbook.org/horrycountysc or contact Margene Willis at 843-349-2694 or Mona Prufer at 843-349-2087.