Taj and Tata Sons Partner With First Book

Press release (Nov. 18, 2011) — Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces and Tata Sons announced a gift of 10,000 new books to school children in the New York metropolitan area through their partnership with First Book, a nonprofit organization that provides new books to children from low-income families.

The donation will be announced during a reading celebration at the PS153 Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Elementary in Harlem. More than a dozen volunteers from Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces, including employees from New York’s own Pierre Hotel, along with representatives from Tata Sons and First Book, will gather with a group of second and third grade students to participate in reading circles and activities. Each student will receive two books, I Can Save the Earth and The Jungle Book, to start their own library.

As part of the larger 10,000-book donation, Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Elementary will receive a $1,000 grant to the First Book Marketplace – an online resource through which brand new books are made available exclusively to schools and programs serving kids from low-income families. Jodi LeBlanc, Vice President-Sales and Marketing at Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces, will be at the event to introduce the donation and will be joined by Julia Hornaday of First Book and Niharika Chibber Joe, General Manager- North America, Tata Sons, all of whom will participate in the day’s activities.

“Teaching a child to read helps them to prepare for success in school, but teaching a child to love reading gives them a friend for life - you are never alone with a good book,” said Councilmember Robert Jackson, whose district includes PS 153. “I can think of no better way to encourage this love than by giving children access to new books. I’m grateful to First Book, Taj Hotels, Resorts & Palaces and to Tata Sons for their generous collaboration.”

“I am thrilled that our employees have embraced the opportunity to help the children of our community, bringing attention to the importance of children’s literacy through this event,” said Jodi Leblanc. “The Taj spirit of giving back to the community is a legacy that is being carried forward from the time of our founder Jamsetji Tata, who believed that communities will be truly empowered when companies work together with them to enhance their potential self-reliance. We are happy to lend our support to First Book, which shares our commitment to education.”

“Today’s event is part of our continuing partnership with Tata Sons. We are extremely grateful for the generosity of Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces and Tata and are pleased to say that their donation will give the gift of reading to children throughout the New York City area,” said Julia Hornaday. “Thanks to Tata’s generous ongoing annual donation of 40,000 books to communities around the country, we have been able to further our mission to give the gift of reading to children nationwide.”

Since December 2007, Tata companies have developed a robust and sustainable partnership with First Book. With the help of First Book, the Tata Group has donated more than 100,000 books, valued at well over $1 million, to children across the United States.

Eight Tata Group entities, including Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces, Tata Consultancy Services, Jaguar Land Rover, Tata Chemicals and Tata Global Beverages have offices, manufacturing and sales centers, headquarters or factories in the New York/New Jersey area, employing over 1,750 individuals.