Adopt a School Program Launches, Aims to Donate 64,000 Books to More Than 190 High-Needs Elementary Schools Across Canada

Adopt a School Celebrates Fifth Anniversary and $1.5 Million Raised, 138,000 Books Donated to 350,000 Students

TORONTO, Sept. 17, 2013 /CNW/ - The Indigo Love of Reading Foundation is pleased to announce the launch of its Adopt a School program, celebrating its fifth anniversary this year. From Sept. 15 to Oct. 5 Indigo, Chapters and Coles locations across Canada will invite Canadians to make donations in-stores as well as online at AdoptaSchool.indigo.ca with a goal of raising more than 64,000 books for high-needs elementary schools across Canada.

Two ways to get involved:

Make a donation - Donations will be accepted in-store at Indigo, Chapters and Coles locations across Canada or online at AdoptaSchool.indigo.ca.  Every $12 donation equals one new book.

Adopt a school - Canadians can also "adopt" a local school at AdoptaSchool.indigo.ca and, through their online networks, encourage friends and family to raise funds for books at their selected school.  For every school who receives 50 "adoptions" Indigo Love of Reading Foundation will donate one book to the school.

Today in Canada more than 42% of the population are functionally illiterate and struggle with day-to-day reading tasks.  A large number of Canadian children do not own a single book and school libraries are their only access to books.  Current school-library budgets allow for about a third of a book per student.  To combat this more than 72% of parents say their children's schools fundraise to support their libraries.  Teachers spend on average more than $1,000 of their own money to buy books and learning materials for their students.

Since its launch in 2009, Adopt a School has raised over $1.5 million, donating more than 138,000 books to 1,240 school libraries.

About Indigo Books & Music Inc.
Indigo is Canada's largest purveyor of ideas and inspiration to enrich your life, with books, specialty toys, gifts and lifestyle enhancing products that affordably offer intrinsic quality, beauty and timeless design. As the largest book and specialty retailer in Canada, Indigo operates in all provinces under different banners including Indigo Books & Music; Indigo Books, Gifts, Kids; IndigoSpirit, Chapters, The World's Biggest Bookstore, and Coles and online at www.indigo.ca.

Indigo Books & Music Inc. founded the Indigo Love of Reading Foundation in 2004 to address the underfunding of public schools, their libraries and the resulting literacy crisis. Through its Literacy Fund grant, the Indigo Love of Reading Foundation commits $1.5 million each year to 20 high-needs elementary schools so they can rebuild their libraries with new books and education resources. To date the Indigo Love of Reading Foundation has committed $13.5 million to 150 schools nationally. The annual Adopt a School program brings Canadian communities together to raise additional funds putting thousands more books into the hands of children at hundreds more elementary schools annually.

Video with caption: "Video: Learn more about the literacy issue in Canada and what the Indigo Love of Reading Adopt a School program is doing to help.". Video available at: http://stream1.newswire.ca/cgi-bin/playback.cgi?file=20130917_C8032_VIDEO_EN_30947.mp4&posterurl=http://photos.newswire.ca/images/20130917_C8032_PHOTO_EN_30947.jpg&clientName=Indigo%20Books%20%26%20Music%20Inc%2E&caption=Video%3A%20Learn%20more%20about%20the%20literacy%20issue%20in%20Canada%20and%20what%20the%20Indigo%20Love%20of%20Reading%20Adopt%20a%20School%20program%20is%20doing%20to%20help%2E&title=INDIGO%20BOOKS%20%26%20MUSIC%20INC%2E%20%2D%20Adopt%20a%20School%20Program%20Launches%2C%20Aims%20to%20Donate%2064%2C000%20Books%20to%20More%20Than%20190%20High%2DNeeds%20Elementary%20Schools%20Across%20Canada&headline=

SOURCE: Indigo Books & Music Inc.

For media requests, more information or images please contact:

Alex Thomson
Manager, Public Relations
Indigo Books & Music
O: 416-263-5152