Business News
WNBA and Pitney Bowes Team up to Help Revitalize Reading and Learning Center in Seattle
Wednesday 05. November 2008 - Following a nationwide competition, the Womens National Basketball Association (WNBA) and Pitney Bowes Inc. (NYSE: PBI), the worlds leading mailstream technology company, announced that the Seattle Storm has won a renovated reading and learning center for First A.M.E. Child and Family Center in Seattle as a part of the Fast Break To Reading program. The revitalized Center will be unveiled in 2009.
Throughout the season, the WNBA and Pitney Bowes worked with six teams across the country, including the Chicago Sky, Connecticut Sun, Los Angeles Sparks, New York Liberty, Seattle Storm and Washington Mystics to help raise awareness and funding for literacy. Each team launched a literacy program at the beginning of the WNBA season, which included fundraising efforts for local organizations and the chance to win a refurbished reading and learning center. Each participating team also held “Reading Time-Out” events with the WNBA and Pitney Bowes to read to area youth and speak about the importance of reading.
“The WNBA is thrilled to join Pitney Bowes on this creative and innovative program to stimulate reading and raise awareness for literacy,” said WNBA President Donna Orender. “Making a difference in communities and in the lives of our youth is strongly embraced by the WNBA.”
“We would like to extend our congratulations to the Seattle Storm for their dedication to promoting literacy and rallying fans to support reading and learning in their community,” said Juanita James, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer for Pitney Bowes. “We look forward to working with the WNBA and the Storm to help renovate the reading and learning center in Seattle and provide young students with an opportunity to learn, enjoy books and grow their own passion for reading.”
“Literacy programs serve as a cornerstone of the Storms community relations activities,” said Seattle Storm CEO Karen Bryant. “The First A.M.E. Reading and Learning Center showcases our collaboration with Pitney Bowes, which has given many Seattle children an early start on developing reading skills that will help them to do well not only in school, but in life.”