IRVINE, Calif — Orange County business leader and philanthropist Yuri Vanetik’s contribution to the Ayn Rand Institute’s (ARI) Free Books to Teachers Program is estimated to provide more than 2,000 Ayn Rand novels to high schools in Orange County, California. In the last nine years, ARI, a nonprofit educational organization, has distributed more than 1.9 million copies of “Atlas Shrugged,” “The Fountainhead,” “Anthem” and “We the Living” to schools across the country.

Ayn Rand’s novels have been popular among English and literature teachers for decades. “They portray events of profound, timeless significance, and are inspiring and exciting stories with heroic characters fighting for their ideals,” says Yaron Brook, president of the Ayn Rand Institute. “They challenge readers to decide not just what will happen to particular characters, but what their own lives and the world should be like.”

“I know firsthand the importance of reading Ayn Rand,” says Vanetik. “Learning about her ideas on collectivism and individualism will challenge students to think about the impact that government, business and they themselves have on our future, and I am proud to be a part of this program.”

Funding for the Free Books to Teachers program comes from private donations. Yuri Vanetik is a private investor and philanthropist. He is the principal of Vanetik International, LLC, a consulting firm, and a National Board Member of Gen Next, an organization of business leaders dedicated to learning about, and becoming engaged with, the most pressing challenges facing future generations.

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The Ayn Rand Institute has experts available for interviews. Please contact media@aynrand.org or call 202-454-1997, x200.

About the Ayn Rand Institute:

For more information on Objectivism’s unique point of view, go to ARI’s website. The Ayn Rand Institute promotes the philosophy of Ayn Rand, author of “Atlas Shrugged” and “The Fountainhead.”

About Gen Next:

Gen Next is a member-driven 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization, comprised of executives and entrepreneurs committed to forward thinking and long-term solutions in the areas of economic growth, education and international security. Gen Next provides a platform for individuals and causes to provide long-term solutions that will better our individual and collective futures. Gen Next is based in Southern California, with members in Los Angeles, San Diego, Seattle, Arizona, New York, Washington, D.C., and elsewhere. Membership is by invitation only and requires an annual contribution of $10,000. www.gen-next.org.