Jumpstart Brings 'Scribbles To Novels' Fundraiser to Chicago

CHICAGO, April 7, 2008 /PRNewswire/ -- Jumpstart, a national nonprofit group that delivers innovative preschool programs for low-income children, will host its "Scribbles To Novels" benefit dinner in Chicago on Wednesday, April 23, at the Harold Washington Library.

The event brings together nationally acclaimed authors and Chicago's elite for a special evening to raise money and awareness for helping at-risk preschool children excel in school. Each year, leaders from the business, civic and philanthropic communities attend to show their support for this effort and early childhood literacy in the Chicago area.

"Preparing young children to succeed and become productive citizens is one of the most effective ways we can build our community," said James Borishade, executive director of Jumpstart's Central Region offices. "We hope this event sends a powerful message that education -- particularly during early childhood -- is of fundamental importance."

Founded in 1993 at Yale University, Jumpstart pairs 3,500 trained adults one-on-one with preschool children in need of assistance. During the 2007-2008 program year, Jumpstart serves 13,000 children across 20 states.

During the event, William Barke, CEO of Pearson Arts & Science and chairman of Pearson Canada, will receive the inaugural Commitment to Excellence Award, which is named after him. Barke is a graduate of Northwestern University in Evanston and sits on Jumpstart's national board of directors.

Tickets are still available. For more information, contact Jeremy Weinstein at 312-873-4054 or Jeremy.Weinstein@jstart.org.

About Jumpstart

Jumpstart is a national nonprofit organization that engages preschool children from low-income communities in an intensive early education program to improve their cognitive and emotional development, ensuring they enter kindergarten prepared to succeed at grade level. It accomplishes this by training adult mentors, primarily college students, to work in exclusive yearlong relationships with the children. Jumpstart currently serves more than 13,000 children through a corps of 3,500 college students and older adults. Jumpstart has earned a four-star rating from Charity Navigator and is a recipient of the Fast Company/Monitor Group Social Capitalist Award in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008. For more information, visit http://www.jstart.org.

     For more information:
     Michael Dizon
     mdizon@tribune.com
     312.222.3165