|
Books for Life
Books Collected & Donated to Communities in Need
If you’re like many kids today, you have shelves or boxes full of books in your house that you’ve outgrown and never even look at any more. But imagine being a kid who didn’t own any books. Or who didn’t have a library nearby. Sadly, there are lots of kids just like that… because when people are poor, they can’t spend money on extras like books. But you can help these kids by collecting and sending used books to one of our needy communities.
- First ask an adult to supervise what you’re doing.
- Then contact Family-to-Family at LongIslandFtoF@optonline.net and we will give you the name and address of an outreach worker in one of our communities where you can ship the books. Some outreach centers have set up lending libraries in extra rooms (or closets) for donated books. Some give the books out at home visits, or when the families come to pick up their food boxes.
- You can send your own books, or collect books from neighbors.
- You can organize a book drive through your school. Ask your principal if you can send home a flyer to all the families at your school asking for book donations. Ask people to bring them to the school. Label a few boxes so people will know where to drop them off.
- Ask your local book store, or library, to donate books.
- BEFORE YOU SEND YOUR BOOKS BE SURE TO EMAIL US AT LongIslandFtoF@optonline.net AND LET US KNOW HOW MANY BOOKS YOU’RE SENDING, AND WHAT CATEGORIES OF BOOKS THEY ARE. WE NEED TO KEEP TRACK OF WHAT BOOKS ARE BEING SENT WHERE!
- Then, pack your books in a sturdy box and mail them. It will cost some money to send them -- you can ask neighbors for donations, or have a bake sale or a yard sale to raise the money. Note that the U.S. Postal Service has a book rate, which is significantly cheaper than sending a 1st-class package.
Remember, the books can look used, but shouldn’t be dirty or falling apart. And not every single book will be useful – so we’ve included a list of the best kinds of books to send. Useful Children’s Books To Send
- Baby (soft, chewable)
- Toddler (board books)
- Picture Books
- First Readers
- Chapter Books
- Teen Non-fiction
- Teen Fiction (not too racy, please)
- Brain Quests and Flash Cards
- Workbooks
- Dictionaries
- Children’s Videos
HERE ARE A FEW OF THE COMMENTS WE’VE GOTTEN FROM THE COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED BOOKS.
“The books are wonderful! The children are especially enjoying the Dr. Seuss books. When they come into the pantry with their parents, they sit down and look at them and when they are ready to leave, I let them pick one out to keep. Our women are especially interested in recipe books and many ranchers like to read westerns in the winter. We are just grateful for all you have sent.”
“What a pleasant surprise to receive the books you sent. Actually, they couldn't have come at a better time. Kids and teachers need a little extra motivation as the year winds down. You sent enough Goosebumps books to make a whole class of 6th graders very happy. They selected their own and some delved right into them!”
“The books have been wonderful. We give them out on home visits. This helps the visiting teachers, visiting nurses, and home health care visitors grow closer in the relationships in the homes. Also many have been added to our library for people to come in and check out. This also gives the parents something for their children to do if they want to work on the computers or have an appointment.”
"Your shipment of books has been wonderful. Thank you so very much. The children's selection is especially popular. ...What a blessing your gift of books is!"
|
