In New Orleans, Reader to Reader Helps a New School through an Old Connection

Amherst College student and mentor in Reader to Reader’s Read, Think, Share mentoring program Jeon Domingue gives us a guest post on how she discovered her job at Reader to Reader intersected with her childhood in New Orleans.

“Before Hurricane Katrina, public libraries and school libraries in New Orleans presented books that had some kind of interest for the different people in the city. After Hurricane Katrina, the libraries went downhill. Many books were in horrible condition, and the books that were in pretty good condition were not books that many children and teenagers would want to read for fun. The library at my little brother’s elementary school was basically empty, until one day when picking him up I noticed that the library was filled with books. I asked his after-school teacher about the boxes and she told me that they were books donated by Reader to Reader. At the time, I thought that was really nice of them and thought nothing about who it really was that gave those books.

In college, I learned about a work-study job that pays you to read books with students and be around books. I was so excited to hear about this program that I applied, though it was after the application deadline. After being in the program for a while, I was still trying to figure out why the name of the program sounded familiar, and then one day I remembered and realized I was working for Reader to Reader --the same company that helped my brother’s school. Recently, I talked to Dennis at Reader to Reader about my high school and how they help their students get on the right reading level, but sadly do not have many books for those who are on the right reading level. I asked if Reader to Reader could send books to my school too. Now, working at Reader to Reader, I’m helping the school I graduated from. Two boxes of books are headed out next week!”

Books, Thoughtfully Chosen

Dear Reader to Reader,

Thank you so much for the thoughtfully chosen and generous gift of books for our library. What a wonderful blessing for the children of the neighborhood. Thank you again so very much.

Blessings,

Johanna Raphael
7th Ward New Orleans

(Johanna Raphael runs a marvelous little doorfront library for the children in her neighborhood.)

Doorfront Library Boosts Neigborhood

Hello everyone -

Today was the opening of our small library in our neighborhood for the children, as access to a library or (sometimes even books) is non-existent in the area which I live in New Orleans.

I have included pictures of our little doorfront "library" and some of the boys and girls who live in the neighborhood. All the boys came today for their books to checkout and were very excited to have this opportunity. The older boys got to write their names and the name of the books in the check out book and have a promise of a superhero sticker if the books they take out are returned on time and in good condition. It was a beautiful experience and I hope to be able to have more books for them.

The ages of the children are between 3 and 11. There are 3 girls and about 10 boys. I would like to be able to serve these wonderful boys and girls through reading and if the fatigue I experience is not too great, then in the summer, arts and crafts projects.

With much love,

Johanna

Barnes & Noble Donates More Than 1.1 Million Books to Nonprofit Organizations, Schools, Libraries and Literacy Partners All across the Country

Barnes & Noble, Inc. announced today that it collected and donated more than 1.1 million books for children in need all over the country during its 2009 Holiday Book Drive, thanks to the generous support of customers and its enthusiastic booksellers. In addition, Barnes & Noble donated another 150,000 books to students in the New Orleans School District through Reader to Reader, Inc., a non-profit organization that distributes books to schools and libraries in need, and 50,000 to Toys for Tots, which collects and distributes toys as Christmas gifts to needy children.

Community partners who have already begun distributing the books collected by Barnes & Noble booksellers include schools, libraries, and social service organizations.

Boxes and More Boxes!

Here are photos of the 150,000 new children’s books that were donated to New Orleans schools last month.

Reader to Reader was pleased to work with Barnes & Noble, the world's largest bookseller, to make a truly mammoth book donation. Two 18-wheel tractor trailers are delivering 48 pallets containing 150,000 books and plush toys to the Recovery School District of New Orleans.

29 New Orleans schools received 1,249 boxes of books.

In addition to building school library and classroom resources, every New Orleans student received a book of their own in time for the holidays.



A special thank you to all the hard working AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps volunteers who helped in getting the books to the schools.

About Reader to Reader

Based on the campus of Amherst College in Amherst, MA, Reader to Reader, Inc. www.readertoreader.org is a non-profit organization that distributes books to schools and libraries in need. We have donated 2.8 million books to schools and libraries in need across the United States, and 1.4 million books to schools and libraries in New Orleans rebuilding from Hurricane Katrina.

I would like to thank you for the books you blessed our students with

(Some feedback from last month's donation of 150,000 children's books to New Orleans schools courtesy of Barnes & Noble.)


Dear Reader to Reader,

I would like to thank you for the books you blessed our students with. They were so excited to receive them and are making good use of the books. I have attached a photo of my students reading and using the art books they picked.

Again thank you so much. Our kids need reading materials to keep them occupied. You are truly a blessing.

Mrs. A. Alexander
Murray Henderson School
New Orleans, LA

To the Staff at Reader to Reader

To the Staff at Reader to Reader,

My name is Amy Laurenza and I grew up in Hadley, where my parents still live. Five years ago I moved to New Orleans to teach, and for the last five years I have been teaching 9th and 10th grade reading. I am home for the holidays and I happened to be reading the local paper and read the article about the large shipment of books you sent down to New Orleans. I just wanted to express my sincere thanks and appreciation for your support of our students and children. It is such an amazingly generous thing, and it is so good to know that the struggles of my community are being addressed by such a generous organization!

Happy Holidays!

Amy Laurenza

New Orleans gets 150,000 books from local group

By Nick Grabbe
Staff Writer
Amherst Bulletin
Published on December 18, 2009

A local organization has arranged for 150,000 new children's books to be delivered to New Orleans children, whose schools are still recovering from Hurricane Katrina, in time for Christmas.

Reader to Reader has donated 2.8 million books to schools and libraries in needy areas, about half of them in New Orleans. This latest shipment of 150,000 books, which arrived Monday in two tractor trailers, was donated by Barnes & Noble.

"New Orleans is such a long-term project," said David Mazor, Reader to Reader's executive director.

"It had very resource-starved schools before Hurricane Katrina. It takes commitment over time to rebuild the resources and improve what they had before."

This delivery of books represents a new direction for Reader to Reader, which is based at the Cadigan Center for Religious Life at Amherst College, he said.

It's gone beyond scanning the rejects from used book sales, and is now working more with national retailers, he said.

Barnes & Noble officials approached Reader to Reader and asked for its help in arranging the shipment to New Orleans, timing the books' arrival and distribution, Mazor said.

He is currently negotiating with another national retailer for a similar project in another needy part of the U.S., he said.

The Barnes & Noble chairman and his wife have been active in building homes in New Orleans, Mazor said. The company is the world's largest bookseller, with 775 stores.

The 150,000 books are going to the Recovery School District of New Orleans, which has more than 37,000 students. The AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps is helping to distribute the books to schools in time for them to be given to students before the Christmas break.

"Our goal is to get at least one to every student," Mazor said.

Some stuffed animals were included in the shipment. The books are new and are not overstocked items, and appeal to all ages of school children, he said.

"This is the single biggest donation of new books and toys that we have ever made in one shipment," Mazor said.

In September, Reader to Reader donated books by children's author Mo Willems to every first- and second-grade student in the New Orleans district.

150,000 Books…That’s Right, 150,000!

School Children in New Orleans Ring in Holidays with Mammoth Book Donation

150,000 Books and Plush Toys Donated by Barnes & Noble Through Literacy Organization Reader to Reader

Total Reader To Reader Book Donations to New Orleans Surpass 1.4 Million Since Hurricane Katrina

NEW ORLEANS, LA (December 12, 2009) – The school children of New Orleans have a special reason to celebrate this holiday season as they go home for vacation break with 150,000 books and plush toys donated by Barnes & Noble through the nonprofit literacy organization, Reader to Reader.

Over the past three years, Amherst, Massachusetts-based Reader to Reader has donated some 1.4 million books to schools in New Orleans and Louisiana to help rebuild resources lost in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

To welcome children back to school this past fall Reader to Reader donated books by award-winning children’s author Mo Willems to every first and second grade student in the Recovery School District of New Orleans.

This holiday season Reader to Reader is pleased to work with Barnes & Noble, the world's largest bookseller, to make a truly mammoth book donation. Two 18-wheel tractor trailers are delivering 48 pallets containing 150,000 books and plush toys to the Recovery School District of New Orleans. The shipment will arrive on Monday, December 14, 2009.

“This is the single biggest donation of new books and toys that we have ever made in one shipment,” says Reader to Reader founder and executive director, David Mazor. “Barnes & Nobles' extraordinary generosity will touch the hearts of many thousands of children. The work rebuilding resources lost from Hurricane Katrina is far from over, and we want to thank Barnes & Noble for recognizing the great need that still exists in New Orleans.”

“You may remember Reader to Reader from the Mo Willems Elephant and Piggie Book Project… well, they are back with a mission,” notes Troy Peloquin of the Recovery School District of New Orleans. "They are teaming up with Barnes & Noble to truck in two 18 wheelers, that’s 48 pallets, yes 150,000 books. Guess what I’m doing next week? Please raise a glass this season for Reader to Reader and Barnes & Noble. You make my job easy and challenging, heart warming and back breaking. For this, I thank you. You are righteous.”

AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) is very excited to help distribute these books to schools in time for them to be handed them out to students as festive gifts before break.

Leonard Riggio, chairman of Barnes & Noble, who along with his wife, Louise, founded Project Home Again (PHA) shortly after Hurricane Katrina, has continued to be very active in helping New Orleans rebuild. In October, the Riggios, PHA families, elected officials, representatives from the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority (NORA) and the Louisiana Recovery Authority were on hand as PHA broke ground for 12 more homes in the Gentilly neighborhood in New Orleans. To date, PHA has built a total of 36 new homes with an additional 8 more homes under construction.

About Reader to Reader

Based on the campus of Amherst College in Amherst, MA, Reader to Reader, Inc. www.readertoreader.org is a non-profit organization that distributes books to schools and libraries in need. They have donated 2.8 million books to schools and libraries in need across the United States, and 1.4 million books to schools and libraries in New Orleans rebuilding from Hurricane Katrina.

New Orleans Children Go Back To School with Elephant & Piggie!

Caldecott Award winning children’s author Mo Willems has teamed with Reader To Reader to make back to school a special time for the children of New Orleans.

Thousands of first and second grade students of New Orleans’s public schools are getting their own personal copies of Willems’s delightful Elephant & Piggie books and The Pigeon Wants a Puppy as they begin their school year.

Reader To Reader is working with the Recovery School District to distribute Willem’s books to all the elementary schools.

The Recovery School District was created in the wake of Hurricane Katrina to rebuild the schools destroyed by the devastating 2005 hurricane.

Troy Peloquin of the Recovery School District was delighted to have the donation.

“Love it! Love it! The teachers adore it! It’s a really fun project,” Peloquin notes.

Author and illustrator Mo Willems grew-up in New Orleans and is looking to make a long-term commitment to the children of New Orleans. He shared his motives for making such a large donation.

"I suppose there was a confluence of being a native New Orleanian, having discovered that having books in the home is a determining factor in later educational success, and the waves of Katrina washing away some of my complacency,” Willems says. “I'd sent books to three schools the year before, so including more schools seemed a logical step towards a small gesture that I hope to continue for decades."

Mo has a heart as big as all of Louisiana!” says Reader To Reader executive director David Mazor. “He has done something truly special for these children.”