Sallie Mae (NYSE: SLM) today

announced that delegates participating in its “Campaign for Literacy” during

the Democratic National Convention donated more than 1,000 children’s books to

benefit literacy programs in Los Angeles.

The books will be used by local elementary and secondary schools, as well

as the Hope Street Family Center, which works with deserving families and

their children in downtown Los Angeles to encourage self-sufficiency and

educational achievement.

An official book donation ceremony was held last week at the Hope Street

Family Center, where Sallie Mae’s Executive Vice President Paul Carey was

joined by several distinguished guests. They included Edward M. Kennedy, U.S.

Senator of Massachusetts; Rob Reiner, actor, director and children’s advocate;

Richard Riley, U.S. Secretary of Education; Sharon Davis, the First Lady of

California; and Melinda Beswick, president of the California Hospital Medical

Center, the parent organization of the Hope Street Family Center.

The guest speakers addressed the importance of improving the quality of

early learning and school readiness programs for children, and cited the Hope

Street Family Center as an ideal example of what is needed by so many of

America’s communities.

“We thank each of our guests for their unwavering commitment to literacy

and to improving the lives of the people of Los Angeles and America,” said

Paul Carey of Sallie Mae. “We hope that our collective efforts will further

the national dialogue on the need for improving family literacy.”

Following the formal remarks, Sen. Kennedy, Rob Reiner and Sharon Davis

read books aloud to the children attending the event. Sen. Kennedy also

distributed copies of President John F. Kennedy’s favorite childhood book,

Billy Whiskers.

Sallie Mae, founded 27 years ago and headquartered in Reston, Va., is the

nation’s leading provider of financial services for postsecondary education

and the country’s largest provider of funding for education loans. The company

currently owns or manages loans for 5.3 million borrowers and also provides

parents, students and educators with comprehensive information on the

financial aid process. Since 1990, Sallie Mae has been a leading sponsor of

Reading is Fundamental (RIF), the oldest and largest literacy organization in

the country. RIF promotes literacy by helping children discover the joy of

books. Sallie Mae purchases books and nameplates for local school districts,

and employees donate their time to distribute and read the books to children.

The Hope Street Family Center was founded in 1992 with a grant from the

federal Head Start Bureau as part of a national effort to develop more

effective ways to encourage family self-sufficiency and educational

achievement. Today, the center serves the needs of 120 low-income families in

Los Angeles.