Sun-Maid Teams up with ABCmouse and Little Free Library® to Feed Hungry Mouths and Minds this Back-to-School Season

The Literacy-Focused Collaboration Puts Wholesome Snacking and Learning Hand-in-Hand for Kids with Interactive Reading Resources and Access to More than 50,000 Books

FRESNO, Calif., Aug. 8, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- After a summer of fun and play, kids everywhere are preparing to head back to school. To mark the beginning of the new school year, Sun-Maid Growers of California, maker of innovative snacks that feed imagination one little red box at a time, has announced a new collaboration with ABCmouse, the leading and most comprehensive digital learning program for children ages 2 – 8, and Little Free Library to expand access to literacy resources and bring bite-sized learning to every pack of its classic Sun-Maid Raisin boxes.

The multi-faceted literacy campaign presented by Sun-Maid, ABCmouse and Little Free Library will provide widespread access to at-home reading activities and books that inspire young readers, all while promoting better-for-you eating habits. As of August 7, the iconic and beloved red Sun-Maid box will feature exclusive, limited-edition ABCmouse flash cards with a sight word lesson on every carton. In addition, each pack of six boxes will feature a custom link to an interactive and engaging microsite hosted by ABCmouse that includes a variety of imaginative and engaging activities, ranging from a full collection of sight word flash cards to worksheets and coloring pages.

The announcement comes alongside recent data that revealed that only 35 percent of students are reading proficiently by grade 4, and National Assessment of Educational Progress reading scores are the lowest they have been in decades. With these challenges in mind, Sun-Maid will expand its literacy efforts even further by teaming up with Little Free Library, a nonprofit with a mission to build community, inspire readers and expand book access. Through the partnership, Sun-Maid will sponsor the creation and installation of 100 Little Free Library book-sharing boxes throughout the U.S.

"Sun-Maid has long been known as parents' partner in better-for-you snacking, making sure kids have access to the snacks they need to succeed in the classroom as well as in imagination and play," said Steve Loftus, Sun-Maid President and Chief Operating Officer. "With less time in the classroom and reduced access to libraries for many, the last number of years have been challenging for many families. ABCmouse and Little Free Library are two of the finest education and literacy resources available, and we're proud to team up to inspire a love of reading and help feed hungry minds this back-to-school season."    

Reading lovers around the country can get involved by voting to have a Little Free Library installed in their area via an online voting portal on the Sun-Maid website. With a global network and a mission of "Take a Book. Share a Book," the Sun-Maid sponsored Little Free Library book-sharing boxes will feature ABCmouse books and expand book access to thousands.

"Practicing sight words helps build more confident and fluent readers, and in teaming up with Sun-Maid we're taking the idea of wholesome snacking and learning and making it accessible to millions of families in bite-sized moments," said Christine Woertink, Senior Vice President of Consumer Product, Age of Learning, creator of ABCmouse.

As a whole, Sun-Maid's back to school efforts will have significant reach, including:

• An anticipated 22 million cartons of raisins (bundled in packs of six), with access to the Sun-Maid x ABCmouse educational materials available, including ABCmouse 120 sight word flash cards and a link to a dedicated microsite.
• Sponsorship of 100 Little Free Libraries, bringing access to books to some of the biggest literacy deserts in the country, including ABCmouse donated books within each of the libraries.
• Access for young readers to an estimated 57,200 books shared through the Sun-Maid Little Free Libraries in the first year alone and an estimated 52,000 visitors to the Sun-Maid Little Free Libraries each year.

The Sun-Maid x ABCmouse packaging is available at retailers nationwide. For more information, please visit www.sunmaid.com 

About Sun-Maid Growers of California

Founded in 1912, Sun-Maid Growers of California is a farmers' cooperative of hundreds of grower families with vineyards in California's Central Valley. From childhood to adulthood and generation to generation, Sun-Maid's innovative snacks continue to feed imaginations one little red box at a time--because when imagination is used for good, there's nothing more delicious! And while some things change, our real, minimally processed and consistently good ingredients haven't. Always starting with a whole fruit you can see and taste, Sun-Maid continues to offer a trusted go-to snack that's simple, wholesome and versatile--imagine that! For more information about Sun-Maid visit www.sunmaid.com and follow the brand on social media including TikTok, Instagram and Twitter.

About Age of Learning 
Age of Learning® is the leading education technology innovator, creating engaging and effective learning resources to help children build a strong foundation for academic success and a lifelong love of learning. The company's research-based digital education programs have been developed by an experienced team of education experts and have proven efficacy in increasing children's learning gains. Age of Learning's flagship product, ABCmouse.com® Early Learning Academy, is an award-winning comprehensive curriculum for children. The company's school solutions programs include My Math Academy®, an adaptive, personalized program proven to significantly accelerate math learning outcomes, and My Reading Academy™, an adaptive program designed to help young learners build a foundation for reading comprehension and literacy and become fluent readers. With over 10 billion learning activities completed by more than 50 million children worldwide, Age of Learning is a global leader in efforts to advance equity, access, and opportunity for all children. To learn more about Age of Learning, visit www.AgeofLearning.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 160,000 registered Little Free Libraries worldwide in all 50 states, 120 countries and seven continents. Through them, over 300 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.

SOURCE Sun-Maid