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Reader To Reader Ships 300,000 Books to Gulf States Amherst, MA – March 2, 2006 – Reader To Reader, Inc., a public charity that sends books to under resourced schools across the country, has shipped over 300,000 children’s books and textbooks to rebuild hurricane devastated schools in Louisiana and Mississippi. The latest delivery featured two tractor trailers filled with 180,000 children’s books and textbooks that left Springfield, Massachusetts bound for Ellisville, Mississippi. Where did all the books come from? Reader To Reader held book drives all over the country with books streaming in to its Massachusetts headquarters from as far as California. Groups as diverse as a Girl Scout troop in Los Angeles, a school system in North Carolina, and the 47,000 members of American Mensa all held book drives. First among them are the members of the Kiwanis Club of Springfield, Massachusetts and their high school Key Clubs, which gathered over 150,000 children’s books which they sorted over winter vacation. How are the books being received in the gulf states? "Books like these are absolutely a godsend," notes Linda Buford-Burks of the Mississippi School Boards Association. "The school districts will be able to get their libraries operational, and the children will have access to books of all kinds. It's exactly what they need.” “The over 300,000 books that have been shipped has all been accomplished without any government money,” said David Mazor, founder and Executive Director of Reader To Reader. “Thank you to all the generous donors from across the U.S. for making this possible. I also want to recognize our sponsors which include Bekins Van Lines, Staples, Wal-Mart, The Massachusetts Moves Association, Random House, and Modern Publishing.” The book drive is on going as it will take years to rebuild these school and classroom libraries, some of which were under ten feet of water. Those wishing to donate books can ship them to:
Hurricane Katrina Book Drive For more information call 413-256-8595 or email dmazor@readertoreader.org. Based on the campus of Amherst College, Reader To Reader is a public charity that brings free books, software and other literacy materials to under-resourced school libraries in the United States. The award-winning organization serves over 300 schools in 31 states by recycling used books that are in top condition so that they can find new homes in school libraries. They also supply new books and other learning materials to schools supplied by publishers and purchased with funds from private donations and grants. For Further Information Contact:
David Mazor
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