Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Joins People's United Bank And Jon Lester In Supporting ReadBoston

BOSTON, June 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The children of Boston will reap additional benefits as People's United Bank, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, and professional pitcher Jon Lester, who serves as the bank's Massachusetts marketing spokesperson, up the ante in supporting ReadBoston, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that Boston children are proficient readers.    

Adding to an existing relationship with ReadBoston, People's United has committed to make a $31 donation – matching the number on Lester's uniform – to the organization for every Lester strikeout up to $5,000. The bank and Lester had announced plans in April for Lester to read to children at schools and community-based organizations in Boston in support of the not-for-profit.  

To further support ReadBoston and Lester's pitching efforts, Boston-based Houghton Mifflin Harcourt has agreed to donate a book to the organization for each Lester strikeout this season.  This commitment is an extension of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and ReadBoston's existing relationship, which in 2011 included the donation of more than 3,500 books and support for the not-for-profit's impactful Talk, Read, Play Day.

"We are delighted to have Houghton Mifflin Harcourt join the bank and Jon in adding to the support for ReadBoston," said Tim Crimmins, President, People's United Bank, Massachusetts. "With the caliber of these partners we feel we have an even better opportunity to promote the importance of literacy to children in the Boston community. We know the kids will be delighted to meet Jon and will benefit from the books that Houghton Mifflin Harcourt contributes."

"ReadBoston's work in the community is directly in line with our mission of changing people's lives by fostering passionate, curious learners. By teaching children to read, ReadBoston is promoting access to a crucial skill that will enable lifelong learning," said Mary Cullinane, Executive Vice President of Corporate Affairs and Social Responsibility, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.  "Houghton Mifflin Harcourt is proud to support the Storymobile program and ReadBoston."

"I am thrilled to support a program like ReadBoston alongside People's United Bank and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt," Lester said. "It's great to know that each strikeout represents additional funds and books for the children of our city."

"ReadBoston is very pleased with and grateful to People's United Bank for its added support and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for its book donation to our organization," said Theresa Lynn, Executive Director, ReadBoston. "As a local non-profit founded by Mayor Thomas Menino and other city leaders in 1995 and the city's only comprehensive early literacy program, we strive to reach Boston's children every day throughout the year, but depend on partnerships with great people like John Lester and outstanding organizations like People's United and Houghton Mifflin who find innovative and appropriate ways to underscore their commitment to their communities."

The partnership between the bank and Lester to help ReadBoston builds on a solid foundation of cooperation between People's United Bank and the literacy group since the bank opened its first two branches in the city in January 2011 and began its initial support of ReadBoston's mission. The bank again worked with ReadBoston in July 2011 at the kick-off of the ReadBoston Storymobile program at the TADpole Playground on the Boston Common.

ReadBoston Storymobiles travel to summer programs throughout the city for seven weeks each summer. Professional storytellers provide children with entertaining stories and every child who attends takes a book home. ReadBoston is able to support children's literacy through innovative early childhood, school-based and community-based programs.

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt is a global learning company with the mission of changing lives by fostering passionate, curious learners. Among the world's largest providers of pre-K–12 education solutions and one of its longest-established publishing houses, HMH combines cutting-edge research, editorial excellence and technological innovation to improve teaching and learning environments and solve complex literacy and education challenges. HMH's interactive, results-driven education solutions are utilized by 60 million students in 120 countries, and its renowned and awarded novels, non-fiction, children's books and reference works are enjoyed by readers throughout the world. For more information, visit www.hmhco.com.

People's United Bank is a subsidiary of People's United Financial, Inc., a diversified financial services company with $28 billion in assets. People's United Bank, founded in 1842, is the largest independent bank headquartered in New England and provides commercial and retail banking, as well as wealth management services through a network of 360 retail locations in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New York, New Hampshire and Maine. Through its subsidiaries, People's United Financial provides equipment financing, brokerage and insurance services.

SOURCE People's United Bank