Number of books donated to area children if #43 team completes all laps Sunday

 

MINNEAPOLIS (March 16) - For most drivers in Sunday's race, the "magic number" is either 325 (the number of laps they need to run to complete 500 miles) or one (the spot they would like to finish).

Jeff Green, who drives Richard Petty's #43 Cheerios/Betty Crocker Dodge, adds another number to that - 13,975. That's the number of books that will be donated to Atlanta kids by Cheerios Spoonfuls of Stories if he can complete every lap of the race.

"Our goal is to win the race, plain and simple. That's what we look to do every week," said Green. "When you add in the Cheerios Spoonfuls of Stories program, though, it takes on a whole new dimension. This race team still wants to win, but we have a whole new incentive for doing it."

For each lap completed by Green and the #43 car Sunday, Cheerios and First book, a national children's literacy organization, will donate 43 children's books to Atlanta kids through the new Atlanta-area chapter of First book. If Green completes all of the laps, that will be 13,975 books.

"This Cheerios Spoonfuls of Stories program is one of the best programs I've ever been involved with," said Green, who drives the #43 Dodge. "We want to win the race more than anything, but knowing we're part of a program helping kids read makes Atlanta a special race no matter what," he said.

"More than 60 percent of low-income families have no books at all in their homes for their children," said Cheerios Marketing Manager Joe Ens. "We know how important it is for kids to have books of their own, so we're working together with First Book and the #43 Dodge team to make a difference for Atlanta kids."

The books-per-lap donation is part of the ongoing Cheerios® Spoonfuls of Stories® program, which gets books into the hands of children.

"This type of program is so important," said Green. "I am glad to have a sponsor that gets involved - and wants their driver and race team to be involved - in a program that is so important and so special for families. Getting a book into the hands of a child who doesn't have one can open the world to that child, and I am really proud to be part of the Cheerios Spoonfuls of Stories program."

Racing audiences will get to share in the excitement by cheering on the #43 Dodge, which will be sporting a special Cheerios Spoonfuls of Stories paint scheme for the race.

Over the past three years, through the Spoonfuls of Stories program, Cheerios has donated $1.5 million to First Book, and has distributed more than 15 million books to children across the country.