Healthy living and outdoor publisher AdventureKEEN has announced that all of its June profits from the sales of books at independent bookstores will be donated to booksellers in need of emergency financial support.
The program, dubbed "Shop Local, Live Local," is the result of a partnership between the Birmingham, Ala.-based publisher and the nonprofit Book Industry Charitable Foundation (Binc). AdventureKEEN profits will be given to Binc, which will then disburse the proceeds to booksellers, as well as family members of deceased booksellers, who are facing financial hardship.
With a substantial list of locally authored books, AdventureKEEN sees the program as a natural extension of its mission. President of AdventureKeen Richard Hunt said "Shop Local, Live Local" exemplifies the house’s dedication to publishing locally-sourced knowledge. “Supporting local enterprise also means fortifying independent bookstores’ reputation as the place to find local resources within their communities,” Hunt said.
AdventureKEEN was formed in 2015 when Keen Communications acquired Cambridge, Minn.-based Adventure Publications.
Since its inception in 1996, Binc has given more than $6 million in assistance to booksellers. Over 7,000 families have received emergency support through scholarships and aid programs. In 2016, bestselling authors Ann Patchett and James Patterson became the organization's inaugural ambassadors as part of a renewed effort to reach more booksellers and enhance public awareness about the challenges they face.
