It’s the first day of summer vacation and that means the beginning of lots of time on our hands with our children. Perhaps you want to look through your book shelves and have your kids choose books they’ve outgrown to donate. You could also volunteer some time with your kids at the book bank to help sort and prepare books.
I just heard an interview on Exceptional Women North West with Danielle Swope, founder of The Children’s Book Bank. Talk about making a difference. In the years since she founded this organization, she has made it her mission to make sure that all children have books in their home to read during childhood before they reach kindergarten. To do this, The Book Bank collects, repairs, and packages used books. The books are then made available to families in need – free of charge.
What an amazing opportunity for donating and volunteering to help ensure all children have books of their own. I only wish I had learned about this awesome organization earlier this year. After sifting through my kids book shelves a few months ago, I had two large boxes of books to donate – I brought them to our school library. I am sure that they will be utilized but in the future I plan to donate to The Children’s Book Bank.
Here is some more information about their mission:
THE BOOK GAP
In homes in middle income neighborhoods, the ratio of books to children is 13 books for every child.
In low income neighborhoods the ratio is 1 book for every 300 children.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Provide the community with a place to donate the books their families have outgrown. Engage the greater community in collecting books. Invite volunteers to help mend, sort and bundle books for distribution to children who wouldn’t otherwise have books of their own at home.
Currently, the Children’s Book Bank utilizes volunteers most Mondays (4-6pm), Wednesdays (6:30-8:30pm) and every other Saturday (1-4pm). If you’d like to volunteer, as an individual or with your own group, at some other time, please e-mail Tom at: tomm@childrensbookbank.org. You can also visit the Hands On Portland calendar to sign up.
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