I haven't done a ton of posting on social entrepreneurs lately, but thought I should at least give a mention that Kyle Zimmer of First Book has been named the Schwab Foundation Social Entrepreneur of the Year for the U.S. this year. More at CSR Wire:

Kyle Zimmer, president and co-founder of First Book®, was named Social Entrepreneur of the Year in the United States by the Geneva, Swiss-based Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship. First Book is an international nonprofit that gives children from low-income families the opportunity to read and own their first new books.

The Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship provides unparalleled platforms at the country, regional and global levels that highlight social entrepreneurship as a key element to advance societies and address social problems in an innovative and effective manner. The Foundation conducts an annual search for leading social entrepreneurs around the world and selects one from each of the countries identified to join the Foundation's global network.

"It is a wonderful honor to have been selected by the Schwab Foundation," said Zimmer. "First Book is becoming a global resource providing vital books and educational materials for children in need and recognition by such an extraordinary institution will enable us to take our vision to new levels."

The literacy crisis in the U.S. is alarming. While research reveals that the critical factor correlating with whether a child becomes a reader is access to reading materials, there are tremendous barriers to that access. A recent study indicates that there is access to just one book for every 300 children living in low-income neighborhoods, compared to 13 books for every one child in middle-income neighborhoods.

Check in at the First Book website and blog for more on their activities.