-    Marking 15^th anniversary, TD also provides $15,000 in community grants    -

TORONTO, Oct. 27, 2014 /CNW/ - Since 2000, more than 7.5 million Canadian children's books have been provided to schools in communities across the country as part of the TD Grade One Book Giveaway – Canada's largest free book distribution program to school-aged kids. This fall TD Bank Group, in partnership with The Canadian Children's Book Centre, will provide more than 540,000 copies of a Canadian storybook to Grade One students and their families. This year's selection is Doors in the Air, written by David Weale and illustrated by Pierre Pratt. And, to mark the 15^th anniversary of the program, TD this year is also providing $15,000 in grants to 15 First Book Canada book recipient groups to purchase new books on the First Book Canada Marketplace.

"Children's literacy is a true passion and priority for TD. Through our programs such as the TD Grade One Book Giveaway we have encouraged parents and educators to help children learn to read in school, at home and in public libraries for the last 15 years," says Frank McKenna, Deputy Chair, TD Bank Group. "We're proud to help bring great Canadian books to Canadian families, and we believe this year's selection, Doors in the Air, will help inspire a love of story among young boys and girls and their parents."

Told through rhyming verse, Doors in the Air is the story of a boy who marvels at how doorways can take him from one place to another. When he passes through the doors of his imagination, which he refers to as "doors in the air", he journeys to new and faraway lands, leaving behind boredom, fear and unpleasantness. Through the TD Grade One Book Giveaway program, Doors in the Air will be taken home by more than 540,000 Grade One children across the country to enjoy and read at home with their parents. 

"Reading plays an integral role in the development of a child, and we are thrilled once again to partner with TD to help foster a love of reading in children across the country," says Charlotte Teeple, Executive Director, The Canadian Children's Book Centre. "Doors in the Air is a beautiful story that will surely captivate the imaginations of young Canadians this fall and for years to come."
 

As part of the program, David Weale and Pierre Pratt will be touring elementary schools across Canada in October and November to host readings for Grade One classes.
 

In addition, this year, to mark the 15^th anniversary of the Grade One Book Giveaway, TD will be donating $1,000 to 15 community organizations for book purchases on the First Book Canada Marketplace. Recipients were selected by TD and First Book Canada because of the work they are doing in their communities to raise literacy awareness and provide access to new books for the children, youth and adults they serve.

"Since our launch in 2009, we've worked with a number of dedicated organizations that focus on improving reading and literacy opportunities for Canadian children and adults who otherwise would not have access to them," says Tom Best, Executive Director, First Book Canada. "We commend TD's efforts in recognizing the important work of these fifteen community organizations and helping them to continue to make a difference in the lives of those they are serving. Thanks to this generosity, more than 10,000 new books will become available to Canadians in need."

The following organizations will each receive a $1,000 grant:

• Agassiz Harrison Community Services (Agassiz, BC)
• Book Clubs for Inmates (Toronto, ON)
• Books with Wings: A Literacy Project for First Nations Children (Toronto, ON)
• Calgary Learning Centre (Calgary, AB)
• Cambridge Self Help Food Bank (Cambridge, ON)
• Elizabeth Fry Society of Saint John (Saint John, NB)
• Eva R. Gsum Foundation (Montreal, QC)
• Families Matter (Calgary, AB)
• Highfield Community Enrichment Project (Etobicoke, ON)
• John Oliver Secondary School (Vancouver, BC)
• Kainai Head Start Program (Standoff, AB)
• MetroWorks (Halifax, NS)
• Regina Early Learning Centre (Regina, SK)
• Share the Magic (Winnipeg, MB)
• The Dartmouth Learning Network (Dartmouth, NS)

For more information on the TD Grade One Book Giveaway visit www.tdreads.com or www.bookcentre.ca

About TD Community Giving
TD Bank Group invests in communities in order to effect positive change in the places where it operates and where its clients and employees live and work. In 2013, TD donated over $74.7 million to support community organizations in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. In Canada, TD focuses on education and literacy, creating opportunities for young people and the environment. For further information, please visit www.td.com/corporateresponsibility

About The Canadian Children's Book Centre
The Canadian Children's Book Centre is a national, not-for-profit organization and registered charity founded in 1976 to promote, support and encourage the reading, writing and illustrating of Canadian books for children and teens. With book collections, programs and services and extensive resources in five cities across Canada, the CCBC is a treasure-trove for anyone interested in Canadian books for young readers. For more information, please visit www.bookcentre.ca

SOURCE TD Bank Group