2020 is a year for the record books for Book Drive for Kids! Not just because we have survived a world-wide pandemic but because in the middle of COVID-19, we set all kinds of records.
- 9,660 kids were able to select a book of their choice
- 10,950 books were given away to children and classroom libraries
- 23 Free Bookfairs were held across the state of Texas
- $10,000 gift (the biggest ever received!) from Regions Bank
- 26 volunteers accomplished all of these mile markers
No doubt, 2020 has been one of the most turbulent years in recent history, yet when you read the Community Impact Statement of Book Drive for Kids, we know that the spirit to care for one another is alive and well! Perhaps now, more than ever, we appreciate the simple things, like a book, a friend, and a smile. These are the very “things” that make Book Drive for Kids so special. We are a community of friends sharing a book and a smile in hopes of making new friends!
On Friday, October 16, donors, volunteers, and guests joined together to celebrate the accomplishments of this past year and look forward to expanding our initiatives in Denton County. We celebrated Regions Bank’s gift of $10,000, which provided the matching portion of a grant from Reading is Fundamental, opening up almost 6,000 NEW books for our free book fairs. This gift provides almost full funding to our base operations in Dallas county.
The Challenge to our Denton County friends
In the cities of Denton, Lewisville, and Flower Mound, there are eleven schools whose student population is 70% economically disadvantaged. Additionally, 30-50% of the students in several of these schools have not yet passed the English proficiency test. These children are our neighbors. We shop at Walmart and Kroger together. Yet, unlike many Denton county homes, these children have few, if any, books in their homes. For these families, the purchase of a book is a luxury purchase. How can they build the vocabulary they need to achieve success at school when they lack books at home?
Book Drive for Kids is here to help overcome these obstacles. YOU can play an integral part!
We are seeking donations of new and gently-used children’s books as well as monetary donations so that we can bring free book fairs to each and every one of these schools.
At the Kickoff ‘20-’21, our generous donors fully funded a free bookfair for Central Elementary to be held this Spring. Other donors gifted books so Lillie Jackson’s Early Childhood Center could hold their fair. That’s two schools down, 9 more to go.
How can you get involved?
- Host a Book Donation Drive
- Donate ($3 is the average cost to us for a new book)
- Volunteer your time
- Sponsor a Free Book Fair
- Like us on social media
- Introduce Book Drive for Kids to your friends and family
- Designate Book Drive for Kids on your shopping cards for Kroger or Tom Thumb (email [email protected] for more information)
When each of us does our part, together we can spared hope, love, and laughter to the children in our community!