Having access to books is the key to literacy, yet the majority of children in low-income neighborhoods often lack libraries and bookstores. By donating your books, especially children's books, you can impact some of the 13.3 million children who don't have books at home. Otherwise, these children simply won't learn to read. Imagine if you couldn't read this.

Read Keisha Whitaker's blog!


TAKE ACTION TODAY

  1. Go through your bookshelves and pull out books that you will never read again or have owned for more than 2 years and haven't read yet.
  2. Pack the books in a box.
  3. Call your local library, school, foster home, or children's organization to see if they need books.
  4. Deliver the books.
  5. If you don't have any books at home, purchase some to donate or find an organization that accepts financial donations and will purchase books and deliver them where they are needed.

FACTS

  • 61% of low-income families in the U.S. have no books in their homes for their children.
  • 43% of adults with the lowest level of literacy proficiency live in poverty.
  • Only 4% of adults with strong literacy skills live in poverty.
  • 55% of children have an increased interest in reading when given books at an early age.
  • Children with a greater variety of reading material in the home are more creative, imaginative, and proficient in reading. They are also on a better path toward educational growth and development.
  • There is only 1 age-appropriate book for every 300 children in low-income neighborhoods compared to 13 books per child in middle-income neighborhoods.

More Ways to Make Your Mondays Matter
Excerpted from: Every Monday Matters: 52 Ways to Make a Difference by Matthew Emerzian and Kelly Bozza. Copyright © 2008 Every Monday Matters LLC. Excerpted by permission of Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

NEXT STORY

Next Story