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Volunteer Drive 2024

By General

Do you enjoy gift-giving?
Volunteer at a Book Drive for Kids Free Book Fair.

It’s only a few hours a couple of times a year to distribute books to joyful faces. Imagine the thrill of seeing their eyes light up with excitement as they choose their very own book to take home.
Volunteers: Michelle, James Price of Independent Financial, retired Denton ISD teachers: Sheree Sardiner, BJ Hardesty and Jill Coulter, and Pam Lipari of Flower Mound

By sharing the gift of reading, you’re not only giving a physical book but also opening doors to imagination, knowledge, and endless possibilities. It’s a small gesture that can have a profound impact on a child’s life, fostering a lifelong love for reading and learning.

So yes, those few hours spent distributing books are more than worth it. They are moments that weave into the tapestry of a child’s future, inspiring dreams and nurturing curiosity. And who knows, perhaps one of those children will grow up to write stories that enchant the next generation.

Book Drive for Kids delivers the books directly to children in elementary schools around the metroplex.

It’s easy peasy for you! Choose a school from our list for the school year, sign in at the school office with a valid driver’s license, and join us as we have a wonderful day assisting the kids selecting a brand new book and a bonus book to take home. We pack up before the school bell rings at the end of the day, and you are free to enjoy the rest of the day. You will leave with a smile on your face because helping children choose a book is rewarding, fun, and fast-paced.

Not only will you be contributing to the literacy and joy of young minds, but you’ll also become part of a supportive community of volunteers who share a passion for reading and education. Each book drive event is a unique experience, filled with heartwarming moments and the infectious excitement of children discovering new stories. Whether you’re a seasoned volunteer or new to the initiative, your efforts will make a significant impact. So, grab a friend, spread the word, and join us in making a difference, one book at a time. Together, we can inspire a lifelong love of reading and learning in the next generation.

Go to 2024-2025 Book Fairs and check out the upcoming Book Fair locations. This link is regularly updated.

Go to our website VOLUNTEER – Book Drive for Kids today! We can’t wait to hear from you!

Volunteer Highlight – Sara Blatnick

By General

Board Member Spotlight — Sara Blatnick

Written by Steve Gamel

Sara Blatnik insists one of the greatest blessings of her life happened three years ago when she stumbled upon a magazine article about Book Drive for Kids. At the time, Sara and her siblings were managing their grandparents’ charitable foundation and were carefully searching for an organization to donate to financially. In her words, Book Drive for Kids “checked all the boxes” and was the perfect choice to honor her grandparents’ wishes and share their legacy of giving back to schools, children, education, and families.

What happened next went beyond her wildest dreams — and easily reshaped her life forever.

“I reached out through the website, and Michelle contacted me immediately,” Sara recalled. “We had coffee, and even after awarding them the donation, Michelle kept reaching out to see if I wanted to volunteer. I had just left my job and was looking to get more involved in my community, so I started with a few book fairs, helped organize the warehouse … and then there was the spelling bee. All of a sudden, I realized I was growing with them. We’ve been friends ever since.”

She added, “You can’t help but be drawn to them and their mission. The biggest thing is seeing the kids smile when they pick up their books and put their names on them. It’s one of the many reasons I keep coming back.”

Sara remains a kind, generous, and supportive behind-the-scenes volunteer and friend. She has served on the Adult Spelling Bee committee since its inception in 2023. This past year, she added processing the Check the Box requests to her growing to-do list. If you recall, this is an additional program BDK offers for parents who request that slightly used books be mailed to their homes for free. And just this month, Sara was sworn in as Book Drive for Kids’ newest volunteer board member.

“I am honored that they would want me on the board,” Sara said. “God put these beautiful women in my life, and this organization has more than helped me grow as a person. I hope to be more involved as time goes by.”

Sara was born and raised in Midland but moved to North Texas 19 years ago. She and her husband, Matt, have been married for 11 years and live in Flower Mound. They enjoy traveling and are big-time sports enthusiasts, particularly Aggie football and the Dallas Stars. Sara also enjoys spending time with her five nieces and nephews whenever possible.

Before joining Book Drive for Kids, Sara spent two years as a weekend meteorologist in Midland and 16 years in the oil and gas industry for EOG Resources in Fort Worth. In 2018, she and her siblings became the co-managers of the Holland Family Foundation.

Their grandparents, Scotty and Jacque Holland, started the organization in 2010 to give back to the less fortunate in their community.

Clearly, they set an excellent example Sara still follows today.

New School Year Begins

By General

Back to School time is one of my favorite times of year!

New pencils.
New markers.
New notebooks.
New planner.
New books!!!

My own children have grown and flown but I still stock up on school supplies!

Happy feelings and anticipation flood my mind this time of year. Why?

Because I loved school (even graduate school). Overall my school experiences were good. I loved to read and learn. Teachers genuinely cared about me. I made lifelong friends. Good grades came easy for me and I even won some awards. My academic experiences laid a strong foundation for life-long reading and a love of learning.

How about you?
Was school a nightmare?
A bore?
Seemingly useless?

Many struggle to learn to read due to dyslexia or other conditions. They have teachers who lack classroom management skills or fellow students who are just plain mean. Maybe they moved a lot so it was a new school every year. Making friends and learning a new building and community can be hard.

One of the reasons we started Book Drive for Kids was to help children who are struggling with reading to experience the same joy and curiosity that many of us have experienced. It is a gift and skill that should be a birthright of every child, regardless of their zip code, affluence or the level of formal education of their parents.

No matter your experience. School days imprint on a child’s development. Teachers, friends, and curriculum played a direct role in the formation of who each of us are today. At Book Drive for Kids, we provide a formative, joyful experience with books. Book selections are curated so that EVERY child can find a book to connect with, regardless of reading skill. Book fair volunteers share smiles and helpful words. Donors share love and hope with every gift. Amazed by the quality book selections, teachers often want to choose one themselves! Because each of you do your part, every child leaves our free book fairs with book(s) to grow their mind AND a dose of love and spark of hope for a better day!

While these “feels” are important for every child, they are crucial for the children we serve. Most are already behind in reading, lack learning resources and books at home, and with rising inflation, financial pressure is stronger than ever. Into this situation, Book Drive for Kids offers a ray of hope in the form of a new book.

We did it for 31,973 children across Texas with over 60,000 books given away.

That’s a Community Impact! Take a few minutes to review our Community Impact Report. Truly, we are amazed at the impact a relatively small group of people can make! Let’s invite more of our friends along for the journey of sharing the joy of reading with the next generation. Look for announcements in the coming months about some exciting things ahead!

Here’s to a great school year for ALL students,

Michelle