Schools and businesses Read n’ Give back to support literacy

GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. (Feb. 26, 2014) – What started out as a small book drive in one elementary school has turned into a nationally recognized campaign to support literacy in more than 100 U.S. schools. The Grand Rapids, Mich., office of Crowe Horwath LLP, one of the largest public accounting and consulting firms in the U.S., will again team up with The LEAGUE Michigan for Read n’ Give, an annual program developed to promote literacy and book sharing among students. The program’s simple yet powerful mission – to collect, share, read, donate and pass on books in a continuous cycle of giving – has resulted in the collection of nearly 160,000 books during the past seven years.

Read n' Give was originally developed to support the Crowe Horwath Foundation goal of youth life skills development. The program, which begins in March, is now executed by a network of schools and partners throughout the U.S. At the conclusion of this year’s campaign, the total number of books collected in eight years is anticipated to exceed 250,000.

More than 100 schools, businesses and community organizations have previously participated in the campaign. “We are so pleased with the growth and results of Read n’ Give,” says Greg Hahn, a partner at Crowe and executive sponsor for Read n’ Give. “It’s exciting to see the expansion from our community to the entire state, as well as nationwide.”

The majority of the books collected in West Michigan will again be donated through the United Way Schools of Hope, the Salvation Army and Camp Blodgett, as well as other local literacy programs.

To learn more about Read n’ Give and how to get involved, visit www.readngive.com.

About Crowe Horwath LLP
Crowe Horwath LLP (www.crowehorwath.com) is one of the largest public accounting and consulting firms in the United States. Under its core purpose of “Building Value with Values^®,” Crowe uses its deep industry expertise to provide audit services to public and private entities, while also helping clients reach their goals with tax, advisory, risk and performance services. With offices coast to coast and 3,000 personnel, Crowe is recognized by many organizations as one of the country's best places to work. Crowe serves clients worldwide as an independent member of Crowe Horwath International, one of the largest global accounting networks in the world, consisting of more than 150 independent accounting and advisory services firms in more than 100 countries around the world.

About The LEAGUE Michigan
The LEAGUE Michigan, a program affiliate of the Michigan Nonprofit Association, supports integrating service, service-learning and philanthropy education in K-12 schools. More than 1,000 classrooms are participating in The LEAGUE Michigan by giving of their time, talent and treasure. For more information, visit us at www.mnaonline.org/league.aspx, or contact Nellie Tsai, Director for The LEAGUE Michigan at 313.394.1995.

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