This came across the wire overnight from Dan Wickett at Emerging Writers, and I'm glad he sent it as we're always looking for these types of literacy nonprofits. Books in Deed is a nonprofit started by writer Julianna Baggott to help get books to children living in poorer areas of Florida.
Here's what Julianna wrote to Dan about the new nonprofit:
Kids in Need – Books in Deed () is a new nonprofit that brings free books and free author visits to Kids in Need in the state of Florida while encouraging reading, writing and compassion in students throughout the country. In addition to private funding, schools across the country that hope to inspire generosity and service in their students can sign up to sponsor a Write-A-Thon and the money raised will bring free books and authors to kids who need them most.
In this way: One child's imagination fuels another's education.
Visit the site: www.booksindeed.org. Host a Write-A-Thon. Make a donation. Send an email if you want to talk about how to help out. (The fund is housed at the Florida State University Foundation.)
With the extreme wealth of Florida, there is also extreme poverty and often extreme weather which compounds problems. In Putnam County, for example, 28.9 % of the children live in poverty–almost one out of every three. They are closely followed by Hardee and Hamilton, Desoto and Dixie. In the future we hope to go national, but at this point we're trying to prove success here.
I've been joined by award-winning, bestselling authors, and supporting authors throughout the country — including Wally Lamb, Jodi Picoult, and former US Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky.
"Kids in Need – Books in Deed is a dynamic and innovative way to foster reading, writing, and compassion in children … This is a program that richly deserves widespread and generous support." — Robert Olen Butler, winner of the Pulitzer Prize.
For more on Kids in Need – Books in Deed, please visit the website. For past coverage of other similar literacy nonprofits, check out the stories here.
This is excellent. Our libraries are unfortunately in decline maybe charities like these can also promote library use, allowing kids to grow up with books.
This is excellent. Our libraries are unfortunately in decline maybe charities like these can also promote library use, allowing kids to grow up with books.