April showers…of thousands of books! During the first week of April, 362 volunteers and community partners spent a collective 1,086 hours gathered at the Boise Factory Outlet Mall for the 9th annual United Way of Treasure Valley Children’s Book Drive. We partnered with Book It Forward! and sorted, cleaned and delivered almost 19,000 books (and counting!) to Idaho children across the state, bringing awareness to the importance of early childhood literacy!
Albertson’s, CapEd Credit Union and WaFd Bank locations across the Valley functioned as book drop-off spots for several weeks in March, gathering bins of books to deliver to the Book Drive location during the week of the event. While sorting and cleaning the books, United Way staff, Book It Forward! staff and volunteers excitedly discussed and reminisced on childhood favorites such as “Amelia Bedelia,” “Clifford the Big Red Dog,” “Stuart Little,” and more – emphasizing how formative and special our favorite stories remain for a lifetime.
But to have these childhood favorites at home, families need spending money to purchase books. For families with lower incomes, prioritizing spending is a must, and books tend to not make the list of things needed to get by. Providing a wealth of books to children in low-income homes can help break the link between poverty and poor academic outcomes.
By uniting together at this year’s Book Drive, we were to distribute books to locations such as WICAP Caldwell, Boys and Girls Clubs, Ada County Juvenile Detention, and local school districts, reaching those who have limited access to books. Book It Forward! staff led the charge on coordinating and completing book deliveries, ensuring the books reach the hands of children across Idaho.
United of Way of Treasure Valley understands that early literacy is a key indicator of a child's future success. We also know that 61% of children in families facing financial instability lack books in the home. The goal of our Annual Children’s Book Drive is to increase a family's access to books to improve rates of childhood literacy so that each and every child has the opportunity to thrive.
The outpouring of support from our community demonstrates the power of coming together for a common goal. Through initiatives like this Book Drive, we can make a tangible difference in the lives of those in need. As we reflect on the success of this event, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to all the sponsors, volunteers, and community members who contributed to this year’s Book Drive, and we look ahead with optimism to next year’s 10th Children’s Book Drive event.
Your generosity and compassion have made a lasting impression, and we look forward to continuing to work together to create positive change in our community. Thank you for your support!
