Mercedes-Benz USA and Atlanta Falcons’ Bijan Robinson Team Up with Little Free Library to Build 175 Book-Sharing Boxes Across the Country
25 Abril 2024 - 8:30AM
Business Wire
- More than 250 MBUSA employee volunteers, along with MBUSA brand
ambassador Bijan Robinson, constructed 175 Little Free Libraries to
be filled with books and installed nationwide
- The National Volunteer Week event is part of MBUSA’s corporate
social responsibility initiative, Driving Your Future, which
focuses on empowering the next generation
- The initiative aims to promote literacy and increase access to
books across the country
Yesterday, Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) employees and Atlanta
Falcons player Bijan Robinson joined forces with nonprofit
organization Little Free Library to build 175 book-sharing boxes,
which will be filled with thousands of donated books and installed
in communities across the country that have limited access to
reading materials, including communities in Atlanta. Little Free
Library aims to promote literacy and community engagement by
offering free access to books through small, publicly accessible
book-sharing stations. Users are encouraged to take a book they are
interested in reading and leave a book they have finished for
others to enjoy, fostering a continuous cycle of reading and
sharing within their neighborhood.
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Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons Running
Back and MBUSA Brand Ambassador, with preschool students and Little
Free Library. (Photo: Business Wire)
The event was part of MBUSA’s National Volunteer Week program,
which features a series of give-back opportunities for employees.
The collaboration with Little Free Library reinforces MBUSA's
commitment to promoting literacy through its corporate social
responsibility program, Driving Your Future, aiming to empower the
next generation by supporting educational programs, career
readiness and child safety.
"As an athlete, I understand the power of
teamwork, and this collaboration demonstrates how coming together
can make a meaningful impact. By providing access to books through
Little Free Library, we're not just sharing stories – we’re also
opening doors to learning and furthering curiosity in children
across the country, including right here in Atlanta – and I’m so
proud to be a part of that."
Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons Running Back
and MBUSA Brand Ambassador
"We are immensely proud of what we have
accomplished together with Little Free Library, thanks to the
unwavering dedication of our employee volunteers. Yesterday’s build
event was all about igniting a passion for reading and fostering
literacy at all ages. We are pleased to provide little free
libraries, along with new and donated books to fill the
book-sharing boxes, to encourage a love for reading in communities
across the country and right here in our backyard."
Dimitris Psillakis, President and CEO of
MBUSA
The event brought together more than 250 MBUSA employee
volunteers at the MBUSA headquarters. In addition to building the
book-sharing libraries, MBUSA employee volunteers made 200
sustainable bookmarks and collected used books across the country
to provide to local communities.
As part of MBUSA’s wider National Volunteer efforts, MBUSA
employees also participated in a virtual reading activity in
collaboration with Share The Magic Foundation, an organization
dedicated to transforming the lives of children through literacy.
Employees conducted a virtual read-aloud benefitting 600 students
across Sunset Park Elementary in North Carolina and Norma Butler
Bossard Elementary School in Miami.
"Seeing people come together to support
literacy and share in the joy of reading creates waves of positive
energy. Partnering with Mercedes-Benz USA allows us to bring Little
Free Library to areas where we can have significant impact. Each
library is more than just a home for books; it's a beacon of
community engagement, learning and shared stories. We are grateful
for the enthusiasm and dedication of Mercedes-Benz USA employee
volunteers, and we look forward to seeing the ripple effects of
this successful event in fostering a love of reading in the
neighborhoods served.”
Greig Metzger, Executive Director of Little
Free Library
About Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA), headquartered in Atlanta, is
responsible for the distribution, marketing and customer service
for all Mercedes-Benz products in the United States. MBUSA offers
drivers the most diverse lineup in the luxury segment with 18 model
lines ranging from the sporty GLA SUV to the flagship S-Class and
the dynamic all-electric vehicles from Mercedes-Benz. MBUSA is also
responsible for Mercedes-Benz Vans in the U.S. More information on
MBUSA and its products can be found at www.mbusa.com and
www.mbvans.com.
“Driving Your Future” is Mercedes-Benz USA's corporate social
responsibility initiative to support educational programs that
empower the next generation. As part of our commitment to
positively impact communities where employees live and work, MBUSA
has partnered with Safe Kids Worldwide and Junior Achievement USA
to create and support programs focused on technology and
sustainability, career readiness, and injury prevention to help the
next generation succeed. To learn more about Driving Your Future,
please visit www.mbusa.com/en/corporate-social-responsibility.
Accredited journalists can visit our media site at
media.mbusa.com.
About Little Free
Library:
Little Free Library® (LFL) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization
that builds community, inspires readers and expands book access for
all through a global network of volunteer-led Little Free Library
book-sharing boxes. There are more than 180,000 registered Little
Free Libraries worldwide in all 50 states, in 121 countries and on
all seven continents. Through them, over 400 million books have
been shared since 2009. LFL received the 2020 World Literacy Award
as well as honors from the Library of Congress, National Book
Foundation and others. The organization grants Little Free
Libraries full of books to underserved areas through its Impact
Library and Indigenous Library programs and champions diverse books
through its Read in Color initiative. To learn more, visit
LittleFreeLibrary.org.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240425180968/en/
Anne McGregor anne.mcgregor@mbusa.com Amanda Painter
amanda.painter@mbusa.com