Jumpstart’s Annual Scribbles to Novels Gala Celebrates the Power of Reading with Acclaimed Authors Renée Watson, RJ Palacio, and Others
Celebrities and Patrons Join Together to Support Quality Early Education for All Children
NEW YORK (March 18, 2018) — Jumpstart, a national early education non-profit, will host its 13th annual Scribbles to Novels Gala on April 18, 2018 in New York City at Capitale, located in the landmark former Bowery Savings Bank. Fashion photographer Nigel Barker — a new member of Jumpstart’s National Board of Directors — will entertain the more than 400 expected guests as the evening’s live auctioneer. Mr. Barker will join several acclaimed authors, including Renée Watson and RJ Palacio, in celebrating the power of the written word, and shining a spotlight on the importance of high-quality early learning for all children.
Ms. Watson, author of Piecing Me Together, is the recipient of the 2018 Newbury Honor for Young Adult, and the winner of the Coretta Scott King Award and the James Beard Award for Writing and Literature. A children’s author and illustrator, Ms. Palacio wrote The New York Times bestseller Wonder, which was adapted for film in 2017 and the inspiration for the Choose Kind Movement.
The event’s Authors Circle will also feature a diverse panel of additional celebrated writers, including Veronica Chambers, author of The Meaning of Michelle: 16 Writers on the Iconic First Lady and How Her Journey Inspires Our Own and Yes, Chef; Fiona Davis, author of The Dollhouse and The Address; Gayle Foreman, author of If I Stay and Leave Me; and Tad Hills, author of the Duck & Goose series.
“As someone invested in literacy and the need for high-quality early learning programs for all children, I am excited to be a part of this great celebration of the written word,” says Mr. Barker. “Our supporters’ generosity and enthusiasm for this event, and for Jumpstart’s programs, is overwhelming.”
Last year’s Scribbles to Novels Gala in New York City raised more than $1.1 million for Jumpstart’s regional programs. Jumpstart will also hold Scribbles to Novels fundraising galas this spring in San Francisco (April 26, 2018) and Boston (May 9, 2018).
About Jumpstart
Jumpstart is a national early education organization working toward the day every child in America enters kindergarten prepared to succeed. Jumpstart delivers a research-based and cost-effective program by training college students and community volunteers to serve preschool-age children in low-income neighborhoods. Through a proven curriculum, these children develop the language and literacy skills they need to be ready for kindergarten, setting them on a path for lifelong success. Jumpstart is also a proud member of the AmeriCorps national service network. Learn more at jstart.org and follow us on Twitter at @Jumpstartkids.
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