BROOKE'S BOOKS ADVISORY COMMITTTEE                   Announced June 28, 2010
Alec Baldwin, award-winning actor, author, and now a children's literacy advocate, joins the Brooke Jackman Foundation in creating the first Brooke's Books Advisory Committee to select age-appropriate books for the thousands of underprivileged children served by the Foundation.

Among the renowned panel of experts comprising the committee are Dr. Twila Liggett, founder of the beloved series, Reading Rainbow; Dr. Gay Su Pinnell, well known literacy expert and author; beloved children's author, Stephanie Calmenson; artist, illustrator and award-winning children's author Javaka Steptoe; and bestselling children's author/illustrator, Katie Davis. Foundation Executive Director, Erin Jackman - Brooke's sister and former elementary school teacher - chairs the committee.

The Brooke's Books Advisory Committee will assist in selecting the most appropriate books, with the greatest appeal, for the thousands of children that the Foundation reaches each year.  The Committee will ultimately create a series of topical Top Ten lists - beginning with "Brooke's Best Books for City Kids" - of ideal, engaging reads that are relevant to the children served by the Foundation.
 

This environment is especially important at the Family Justice Center libraries, which are for children who have experienced violence and turmoil. These libraries give them the opportunity to explore the magical world of reading in a safe and comfortable environment.

In 2005, the first library was dedicated at the after-school program at P.S. 111, and the second was established at the Grand Street Settlement Child Care Center on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Future sites are being planned.

THE BROOKE JACKMAN FAMILY LITERACY PROGRAMS
The Brooke Jackman Family Literacy Programs are designed to engage parents (and guardians) and their children in literacy-based activities. At each session, participants receive take-home literacy packages, age-appropriate books, and concrete strategies in order to support their child’s learning during the workshops and at home. It is our hope that the magical world of books, in particular those works chosen by our Advisory Board, will promote parents and children reading aloud together each night.

In January 2004, we began a partnership with the St. Nicholas Preservation Corporation (St. Nick’s) to offer our first intensive family literacy program in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The initial program began with 100 families and has since expanded to include a partnership with the YM & YWHA. Starting this fall, the program will add a new location in the Brooke Jackman Library at the Family Justice Center in Brooklyn, further expanding a program that reaches more than 1,000 families in Williamsburg, Greenpoint, and Washington Heights. Each participating family’s dynamic is unique—there may be one parent or a couple and up to two children in the same grade. Sessions are offered for children ages 5 through 12, and childcare is generally provided on-site for children under the age of 5.

We also provide all participants with a nourishing meal before beginning the workshop. Graduates of the Brooke Jackman Literacy Workshop Series receive our Brooke Packs.

BROOKE’S BOOKS™ INITIATIVE
In honor of what would have been Brooke Jackman’s 30th birthday, on August 28, 2008, the Foundation began a tradition of giving a brand-new book to every child in every one of its programs. This year, once again, nearly 10,000 disadvantaged children throughout the New York area received this gift to jump-start their reading as they got ready to go back to school. The books were handed out through the Foundation’s many programs and partnerships, which operate in numerous locations, such as homeless shelters and other city, agency, and school organizations. The books were distributed throughout a two-week period, beginning on August 28, Brooke’s birthday, and ending on September 11. During this time, as part of the back-to-school initiative, children's author Jon Scieszka, the Library of Congress' first National Ambassador of Young People's Literature, did a special reading on behalf of the Foundation at P.S. 111 in Manhattan.

BACK TO SCHOOL WITH BROOKE PACKS
We are proud to announce that this initiative is one of our fastest-growing programs. Since 2002, Brooke Jackman Foundation volunteers have distributed more than 10,000 Brooke Packs to children in the metropolitan area and beyond.

This year, 2,700 children received a Brooke Pack on their return to school. Many times, this backpack is their sole personal possession. They are designed to meet the needs of disadvantaged children when other resources are not available. Each one is filled with age-appropriate books, an MP3 player (with access to a free downloadable book), batteries, school supplies, and notebooks.

Brooke Packs are also sent as graduation gifts to children and families participating in the Brooke Jackman Literacy Workshop Series. When requested, the Foundation will respond to the dire needs of those less fortunate outside the New York area. In 2004, we distributed Brooke Packs to 200 schoolchildren in the Gulf States who had been affected by Hurricane Katrina.

SCOPE Camp Initiative
Since 2003, The Brooke Jackman Foundation has provided 120 camp scholarships to low-income, inner-city children who would benefit the most from Summer Camp Provides an Edge (SCOPE) two-week programs. The Foundation strongly believes in the educational and developmental benefits offered by attending camp. As an important adjunct to school, camp can help children develop self-esteem and social skills in a safe environment.