Scripps Howard Fund invests record-breaking $1.8 million to provide books for children at low-income schools

CINCINNATI, Nov. 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Scripps Howard Fund’s ninth annual “If You Give a Child a Book …” campaign will invest a record-breaking $1.8 million during the 2025-2026 academic year, which will provide more than 300,000 books to children at low-income schools across the United States.

The childhood literacy campaign is supported by The E.W. Scripps Company (NASDAQ: SSP) and the communities it serves, Scripps employees and Scripps family members. This campaign aims to reach underserved children by distributing free books to kids in kindergarten through fifth grade who are still working toward reading proficiency.

For every $12, the Fund provides two books to a child in need.

“This campaign milestone showcases the power of community connection – when Scripps employees, generous donors and dedicated partners come together to put books in the hands of children who need them most,” said Carrie High, director of philanthropic strategies for the Scripps Howard Fund. “These 300,000 books will open new doors to stories, ideas and opportunities, planting the seeds for future success.”

Through a partnership with Scholastic Books, the Fund organizes free Scholastic Book Fairs for approximately 100 partner Title 1 schools across the country. Students are given the opportunity to choose their own age-appropriate books. These free book fairs occur throughout the school year, with the goal of ensuring that every student in the low-income schools they support receives 10 books annually to build their home libraries.

With the funds raised through this year’s campaign, the total number of books distributed since the program started in 2016 will surpass 1.8 million.

To learn more and donate visit .

Media contact: Molly Miossi, The E.W. Scripps Company, 513-977-3713, 

About the Scripps Howard Fund

The , a public charity established by  (NASDAQ: SSP), is dedicated to creating informed and engaged communities through journalism education, childhood literacy and local causes. At the crossroads of the classroom and the newsroom, the Fund is a leader in supporting journalism through scholarships, internships, minority recruitment and development and First Amendment causes. The Scripps Howard Awards stand as one of the industry’s top honors for outstanding journalism. The Fund’s annual “If You Give a Child a Book …” childhood literacy campaign has distributed thousands of new books to children in need across the nation. The Fund partners with Scripps brands to create awareness of local issues and support organizations that build thriving communities. The Scripps Howard Fund administers funding for the Scripps Howard Foundation, a private foundation established in 1962 to advance charitable causes important to The E.W. Scripps Company and the Scripps and Howard families.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at