Dave Matthews Works With Verizon

Dave Matthews Band will join Verizon Reads in New York this weekend.

Verizon has a commitment to championing literacy in the United States and Matthews and his band will join the cause this weekend to help hand-out 10,000 books to children who otherwise would not have access to literature.

40 million Americans have low literacy skills. "The lack of access to books has been noted as a leading cause of illiteracy among children in America," explained Andrew Brown, president -- Verizon Reads. "While it is essential to highlight illiteracy, Verizon Reads, Dave Matthews Band and Clear Channel Entertainment together are unlocking the promise of literacy by putting books in the hands of children who otherwise might not have access to these essential tools for academic and personal development."

Last year, the Verizon Reads initiative distributed more than one million books in America.

by Paul Cashmere