U.S. Senate Candidate Christina Pascucci Donates 2,000 Books in South Los Angeles, as part of a joint philanthropic effort

Christina Pascucci, an Independent Democratic U.S. Senate candidate for California, and Los Angeles-based Gordon Philanthropies, have donated 2,000 books to children and families in South Los Angeles. The books were distributed at a community event Friday, where Pascucci also spoke about her vision for education reform and social justice.

“Early literacy is the foundation for a thriving life,” said Pascucci, who believes that investing in education is essential for rebuilding California. She added, “In California, at least 60% of children are not reading at grade level by third grade, and those kids are much more likely to end up on the streets or in jail.”

The event took place at SHIELDS for Families, a non-profit organization that serves mothers, children, and families in South LA. Many of their programs focus on mother well-being. SHIELDS and their families not only received a generous donation of 2,000 books from The Gordon Philanthropies’ Family Literacy Foundation, but the foundation also provided car seats, diapers and other essentials to support mothers and their families. At the event, some of the women who have benefited from SHIELDS shared their stories of transformation and gratitude for the organizations’ work and impact.

“I’m so grateful to SHIELDS and Gordon Philanthropies who recognize the importance of early literacy and are doing the work daily to uplift and inspire children and mothers across Los Angeles,” said Pascucci, who is 8 months pregnant with her first child.