How You Can Give Books to Underprivileged Children in Worcester

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Tuesday, April 24, 2012

John Monfredo, GoLocalWorcester Education Contributor

Worcester: The City That Reads Committee kicked off its sixth annual G.A.B. (Give A Book) Drive on March 2nd (Read Across America Day). The drive will continue until May 15th, with its goal to place a book into the hands of children who may not be able to afford to purchase a book of their very own. This organization’s objective is to promote literacy awareness across the city. The Committee has had a number of events towards this goal, and in addition has collected over 95,000 books during the past five years with the “Give a Book” program.

Last year 25,000 gently used and new books were collected for the children in our city. The books were distributed to the children in June for summer reading and additional books were given to social agencies, health centers, summer school projects and other organizations that work with children. The goal this year is to collect at least another 25,000 books and try to hit 26,000. Thus far we are running behind in our quest to reach our goal, so would you please help out by looking around your home for children’s books to donate.

It is the lack of books in the child’s home that poses the greatest barrier to achieving literacy. We hope to put books into the hands of children in the Worcester Public Schools during the week of June 12th –as we celebrate “Reading Week in our City.” These books will be given to children for summer reading.

We are also fortunate to have had an increase in the number of drop off sites for the public to bring their books to this year, as well as a number of additional groups working on the drive.

Drop off sites include super markets, banks and various agencies. In addition, we have high school, college students, corporations, and health centers having their own book drive.

Time is running out so we are encouraging everyone to start their spring cleaning and look to drop off a gently used or new book pre-k to grade 8 at one of our sites. The drop off sites are as follows:

• Worcester Public Library
• People’s United Bank (all six city branches) including the town of Shrewsbury, Marlboro and Leominster
• Commerce Bank (all four city branches) including Holden
• Bay State Savings Bank (all branches)
• Bank of America – Tatnuck Sq. Branch
• Stop and Shop on Lincoln Street
• Stop and Shop on Grafton Street
• Stop and Shop on West Boylston Street
• Shaws Market on West Boylston Street
• Shaws Market at Webster Square
• Panera on West Boylston Street
• RSVP and the Senior Center on Vernon Street
• Worcester Credit Union
• Webster First Federal Credit Union – 275 Greenwood Street
• Millbury Savings Bank – 1001 Millbury Street
• Starbucks Coffee on one West Boylston Street
• Light Labs on Shrewsbury Street
• DCU Center
• Worcester Sharks
• Jewish Community Center on Salisbury Street
• Greendale YMCA

Other groups and businesses are welcome to come aboard and help us make a difference in the community by having a drive of their own but you need to do it soon. For more information, please contact John or Anne-Marie Monfredo at 508 853-3444.

Remember, everyone can help in this most worthwhile community service project and bring the joy of reading to every child. As the Chinese proverb states, “It takes a village to raise a child.” What better way to raise children than to give them the opportunity to read?”  

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