Amherst Bulletin Reader to Reader Season For Giving Lasts All Year
Today the program called Reader to Reader has a cadre of volunteers who send thousands of books a year to over 200 schools throughout the country. "There are kids who didn't learn how to read till they received one of our books," said David Mazor, the 46-year-old executive director of the nonprofit organization. The program is housed in the basement of Amherst College's Cadigan Center for Religious Life. "What makes it work is the volunteers," said Mazor. Eighty-something Amy Johnson of Amherst was one of the first. She said she got involved with the program after reading about it in the paper. "When I first started, we were only working with a few schools," said Johnson. "We started in Mississippi and then went to the Navajo schools." She said she volunteers with the program because she knows she's making a difference. Mazor said that in addition to donations of books and money, he's always looking for volunteers. One of the first recipients of books was the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in North Adams. "[Mazor's] daughter attended classes here in 2002," said Alien Morrill, the associate dean for the library. "The state budget was going south and he knew the budget was being cut." Morrill said Mazor began to look through the card catalog at the library to see what they needed, and began to find and donate books to the college. To date, Reader to Reader has donated over 5,000 books to MCLA. "His contributions kept us in the ball game," said Morrill. Mazor's program has sent books to a range of schools from elementary to college levels, as near as Holyoke High School and as far away as the Navajo Reservation Pine High School in New Mexico. "David has supplied us with so much material," said Carla Clauschee, the Navajo school's librarian. "Our entire display of Native American literature is all because of David Mazor." She said many of the high school students read on lower grade levels because of the lack of books available to them. But because of Reader to Reader, kids are finally getting the books they need. Mazor's organization has supplied the school with over 2,000 books to date, including graphic novels. "[Mazor] puts things in the library that kids want to read, said Clauschee. "Kids are at the library throughout the day asking for books. They are constantly flying off the shelves." The program has received kudos from Congressmen Richard Neal, and John Olver, as well as grants from businesses such as Verizon, CVS, The Xeric Foundation, and celebrity Paul Newman. Mazor said that he chooses the schools based on low per-student spending, and a high percentage of students from low-income families. He then contacts the librarian to assess the school's needs and learn about any special needs they may have. "We make a long term commitment with the schools," said Mazor. "It really becomes a free resource lifeline for them."
Donations of books or money can be given or mailed to Reader To Reader, Inc., Cadigan Center |
The season for giving extends throughout the year for an Amherst organization that started two years ago with one man and a garage full of books.