Books & Book Lights to Puerto Rico
Donation protected
Three weeks after Hurricane Maria devastated the Island, we finally made contact with a young cousin there. She described the long dark nights without power and children feeling anxious and wondering how to spend their time. We remembered some of our own experiences in unexpected darkness. We read to each other and told each other stories. It was comforting and brought our family together.
Power in Puerto Rico is not expected to be restored in many communities for months. No one knows when many schools will reopen. We are storytellers, authors, librarians, educators, and book lovers, joining together to send books and book lights now to shorten and to bring some comfort to the many long dark nights ahead.
We are reaching out to you- to anyone who has ever been a little anxious in the dark and to everyone who has experienced the pleasure of reading a book and knows the feeling of closeness - huddling together sharing a book or a story.
Scholastic Books, a major children’s book publisher has pledged to help with deep discounts for purchases.
A family owned business that makes the wonderful and powerful Beam n Read® book light has offered to provide these lights, also for a very deep discount.
Best yet, we have found a grateful and willing partner, The Puerto Rican Family Institute (a non-profit agency) that runs Head Start Programs in 15 affected municipalities serving over 1600 children. Many of these sites are still closed but PRFI staff are bringing their programs to shelters and darkened homes.
Funds are needed now for purchases of the books, lights, batteries and shipping expenses. Our goal is to provide at least one book to all 1600 children, as well as to their older siblings, and a book light to each household.
The pieces are in place. Let's get these lights and books to the children now!
Thank you so much for your help and for sharing this campaign with your own network.
Finally, long after the power comes back, the power of reading and reading together as a family will continue. So your gift now is providing immediate and needed relief and at the same time will be "feeding two birds with one seed" by encouraging long term literacy.
Power in Puerto Rico is not expected to be restored in many communities for months. No one knows when many schools will reopen. We are storytellers, authors, librarians, educators, and book lovers, joining together to send books and book lights now to shorten and to bring some comfort to the many long dark nights ahead.
We are reaching out to you- to anyone who has ever been a little anxious in the dark and to everyone who has experienced the pleasure of reading a book and knows the feeling of closeness - huddling together sharing a book or a story.
Scholastic Books, a major children’s book publisher has pledged to help with deep discounts for purchases.
A family owned business that makes the wonderful and powerful Beam n Read® book light has offered to provide these lights, also for a very deep discount.
Best yet, we have found a grateful and willing partner, The Puerto Rican Family Institute (a non-profit agency) that runs Head Start Programs in 15 affected municipalities serving over 1600 children. Many of these sites are still closed but PRFI staff are bringing their programs to shelters and darkened homes.
Funds are needed now for purchases of the books, lights, batteries and shipping expenses. Our goal is to provide at least one book to all 1600 children, as well as to their older siblings, and a book light to each household.
The pieces are in place. Let's get these lights and books to the children now!
Thank you so much for your help and for sharing this campaign with your own network.
Finally, long after the power comes back, the power of reading and reading together as a family will continue. So your gift now is providing immediate and needed relief and at the same time will be "feeding two birds with one seed" by encouraging long term literacy.
Organizer
Bob Kanegis
Organizer
Corrales, NM
