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WALL, N.J. – New Jersey Natural Gas (NJNG), the principal subsidiary of New Jersey Resources (NYSE: NJR), will hold a book drive from May 20–27 to support the NJN Public Television and PBS KIDS Share A Story Campaign, a national public service campaign to help children learn to read. Donated books will be distributed to public libraries in NJNG’s Libraries On-Line program, which assists public libraries in Asbury Park, Long Branch, Keyport and Red Bank in Monmouth County and Dover in Morris County.

“Reading opens the door to new worlds for our children and lays the groundwork for future success in school,” said Laurence M. Downes, chairman and CEO of NJNG. “As a reliable partner in our communities, we are proud to be a part of the Share A Story Campaign through our commitment to education and supporting the state’s efforts to promote educational excellence.”

New book donations can be dropped off Monday–Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the following NJNG customer service centers:

Monmouth County
601 Bangs Avenue
Asbury Park, NJ 07712
and
1415 Wyckoff Road
Wall, NJ 07719

Morris County
201 Roundhill Drive
Roundhill Corporate Center
Rockaway, NJ 07866

Ocean County
775 Vassar Avenue
Lakewood Industrial Park
Lakewood, NJ 08701

“By championing this initiative, NJNG helps makes it possible for NJN to reach thousands of our state’s citizens and demonstrate how caring individuals can nurture among our youngest citizens a love for reading and also help promote literacy skills that can lead to success in school,” said NJN Executive Director Elizabeth Christopherson. “We are deeply grateful to the employees of NJNG for their generosity.”

NJNG will also participate in the kickoff event for this year’s Share A Story Campaign at the Lakewood BlueClaws game on May 27. There are additional drop-off points for books in the Ocean County Library system, and NJNG will assist in distributing the books collected to designated social services facilities, including shelters and daycares.

For decades, research has shown that children whose parents read to them become better readers and do better in school. According to the U.S. Department of Education, helping children become – and remain – readers is the single most important thing to help them succeed in both school and life. Simple daily activities, like reading aloud, singing songs and sharing stories, contribute to a child’s language skills and reading ability.

NJNG has long supported education as an important investment in the future of New Jersey and quality of life in the state. NJNG’s Energy for Education program takes a hands-on approach to enhancing learning opportunities, focusing on urban schools and neighborhoods in the company’s service area and statewide initiatives to promote literacy and career development. The program, which involves efforts such as upgrading library technologies, pairing students with employee mentors and promoting better school attendance, helps advance literacy in a variety of ways, including sponsoring Governor McGreevey’s Book Club and organizing volunteers to read in schools.

New Jersey Natural Gas (NJNG) is the principal subsidiary of New Jersey Resources (NYSE: NJR), a Fortune 1000 company and a member of the Forbes Platinum 400. NJNG is one of the fastest-growing local distribution companies in the United States, serving more than 450,000 customers in New Jersey’s Monmouth, Ocean, Middlesex and Morris counties. This service area’s demographics and quality of life contribute greatly to NJNG’s growth. NJNG’s progress is a tribute to the dedicated employees who have shared their expertise and focus on quality through more than 50 years of serving customers and the community to make the company a leader in the competitive energy marketplace. For more information, visit NJNG’s Web site at njliving.com.