By Bianca Schulze, The Children’s Book Review
Published: December 24, 2009
As the season of giving is reaching its peak, it’s important to remember that book donations are appreciated all year round and can truly impact a child’s life in a positive way.
Beginning this holiday season, The Children’s Book Review team has decided to select a different charity to donate books to each year. This year, as Luisa mentioned at the end of her The Giving Tree review, we chose the Pajama Program as the organization that we would donate books to, based on their worthy cause:
“The Pajama Program provides new pajamas and new books to children in need, many who are waiting and hoping to be adopted. … Many of them have been abused or abandoned, and have never enjoyed the simple comfort of having a mother or father tuck them in at bedtime and read to them.” ~ http://www.pajamaprogram.org
Where can I make book donations?
When I first started looking for a charity that excepts books, I received a lot of great suggestions. I would like to share them with you:
What they except: New books and pajamas, financial donations
Recommended by Tara Lazar
What the except: New and used books, financial donations
Recommended by a school teacher
What they except: New or gently-used books, financial donations.
Coalition for Compassion and Justice
Open Door/Fair Start
505 West Gurley Street
Prescott, AZ 86301
Recommended by Diane Iverson, Director of Open Door
What they except: Financial donations
Recommended by Bianca Schulze
Babette Reeves, The Passionate Librarian, reminds us to check with our local libraries. And, the American Library Association (ALA) has a fact sheet, Sending Books to Needy Libraries: Book Donation Programs, that is very informative.
The Children’s Book Review team is hopeful that each of you has given or donated at least one book as a gift this holiday season. Reading is the key to learning. Learning leads to a better education. Education leads to a better life and a much happier world. Wishing you a very peaceful and merry Christmas!
Leave us a comment: Who is your favorite charity or organization? Which book(s) are you giving this holiday season?
1 Comment
Another great organization you can donate new books to is The Reading Connection, which works with at-risk children in the Washington DC metro area. Our signature program, the Read-Aloud Program, works with kids in homeless shelters and affordable housing complexes. Every child who comes to a read-aloud picks a new book for his/her own. Needless to say, we go through lots of books!
Paperback books preferred; sports and mystery are our kids favorites.