Hudson Guild featured on NY1 Parenting: Celeb Chef, Books for Kids Open Library for Underprivileged Kids

Celebrity chef Mario Batali has cooked up something special to help get kids reading. NY1’s Shelley Goldberg reports on the brand new library housed at Hudson Guild courtesy of the celebrity chef and the Books for Kids Foundation.

Watch the full report at NY1.

Hudson Guild featured in Chelsea Now: Library gives local kids 2,000 new things to do

"These impressive numbers were one for the books: On  July 10, the second day of their eight-week summer camp, 300 kids got a first look at thousands of reasons not to claim they were bored.

A ribbon cutting ceremony celebrated the opening of Hudson Guild’s Books for Kids After School Library. Stocked with 2,000 literary selections designed for ages 5-11, the library will be used primarily by those currently enrolled in Summer Day Camp, then children from nearby PS33, PS11 and Guardian Angel schools who attend the Guild’s after school program.

The 125-square-foot facility, which occupies the former site of an underused storage space, was made possible by the Mario Batali Foundation’s partnership with the Books for Kids Foundation — which creates libraries, donates books and partners with literacy programs (with special emphasis on low-income and at-risk preschool-aged children)."

Read the full text of the article at Chelsea Now.

Hudson Guild featured in Chelsea Now: At Hudson Guild, write a cup of tea

"Michele Brody’s installation at Hudson Guild’s Gallery II, 'Reflections in Tea — stories and poetry on recycled tea bags,' draws on a proverb by the Baltis (an ethnic group of Tibetan descent who live in the northernmost mountainous region of Pakistan), quoted in Greg Mortenson’s 'Three Cups of Tea': 'The first time you share tea with a Balti, you are a stranger. The second time, you are an honored guest. The third time you share a cup of tea, you become family.'”

Read the full text of the article at Chelsea Now.

Mario Batali Foundation and Books For Kids to open an after-school library at Hudson Guild

The library is located at Hudson Guild, 441 West 26th Street New York, NY 10001. The opening dedication ceremony will be held on July 10, 2012 at 3PM and will be attended by Mario Batali, Mario Batali Foundation Board members as well as Books for Kids Board members and its Executive Director. Children from the Chelsea community participating in Hudson Guild’s summer day camp will also be in attendance. 

“To be able to help children read…to give them this fundamental building block to a successful life is remarkable. I am ecstatic that my foundation is able to help create a second Books for Kids library and champion literacy programs for all children in need,” said Mario Batali, Chef/Founder of the Mario Batali Foundation. 

The day will include a ribbon cutting for the library, a tour of the site and a brief presentation by Mario, and Executive Director of Books for Kids, Shawna Hamilton Doster, plus a special thank you from the children of the community and a reading of poems from Shel Silverstein’s A Light in the Attic by Mario. 

“Books for Kids is obviously honored and thrilled to have the support of the Mario Batali Foundation in the creation of a new library in a very needy community in New York City,” said Shawna Hamilton Doster, Books for Kids Executive Director. “Without the generosity of our donors, we could not continue our fight to provide at-risk children the chance at a future by giving them access to books they might not otherwise have and to build the literacy skills they need be on par with their peers.  Without all of us working together, these children are more likely than not to start behind and stay behind forever.”

This is the second Books for Kids library made possible by funding from the Mario Batali Foundation and will serve hundreds of children in the Chelsea community year round both after school and during the summer camp program.  The first library was located on the Lower East Side of New York City. It serves over 100 at-risk preschoolers.

ABOUT BOOKS FOR KIDS

The mission of the Books for Kids Foundation is to promote literacy among all children with a special emphasis on low-income and at-risk preschool-aged children. Books for Kids creates libraries, donates books, and partners with literacy programs to develop the critical early foundation and skills which young children need to be successful in life.

ABOUT THE MARIO BATALI FOUNDATION

Long before he was a household name, Mario Batali was a philanthropist. Whether donating his time, services or dollars, Mario has been actively involved in the charities close to his heart for many years to raise awareness and support for children’s disease research and relief, and hunger relief. Prompted by these philanthropic efforts, in 2008, Mario launched the Mario Batali Foundation. The Foundation strives to ensure that all children are well read, well fed and well cared for.