Ipsos MMA Supports World Refugee DayThe Ipsos Foundation is committed to the continuing education of forcibly displaced children and youth by humanitarian or natural crises. With more than half of the 20 Million global refugees being children under 18, Ipsos believes that supporting these children in particular is of paramount importance.

The Ipsos Norwalk, CT office joined Ipsos colleagues around the world on United Nations World Refugee Day on June 20th for a concerted global effort across the US, Canada, Europe, Africa, Asia and South Africa to take action. In partnership with Reading is Fundamental, Ipsos in the US held a children’s book drive across all 20 offices and a volunteer reading opportunity in a select few offices. The Ipsos Norwalk, CT office collected books to support displaced or refugee children’s literacy and access to books.

Reading exposes children to stories with characters who feel a range of emotions, which can help a child prepare for situations where he/she feels the same. Reading about difficult situations that are happening to characters provides a safe way for children to identify and process their emotions. Teachers and experts tell us that reading helps to reduce child anxiety and enables them to feel better prepared for the new experiences they can expect in new surroundings.

The Ipsos Norwalk Office collected 772 new books for this effort. Ipsos MMA was proud to contribute 356 of them!