About A to Z

In June of 2009, Dr. Mal Keenan traveled to Lusaka, Zambia. She spent time with children, visited schools, and promoted literacy. Mal was inspired by the courage and exuberance of Zambia's children in the face of severe poverty and the ravages of AIDS.

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Before Mal departed for Zambia, she had shipped four large boxes of books and school supplies to Lusaka to distribute to school children when she arrived. During her time in Zambia, Dr. Keenan realized that books were desperately needed as children did not own or have access to books.

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Upon returning to Illinois, Mal worked with friends Michelle Rentzsch and Stephanie Brown to form A to Z Literacy Movement, a nonprofit organization whose team is passionate about providing books to children globally and promoting the love of reading. Today, the organization is directed and guided by passionate educators and people committed to children in need. The team is comprised of volunteers with a heart for spreading the love of literacy locally and abroad.