Goddard Schools donate over 43,000 books to Bernie's Book Bank

18 Goddard Schools located in the Chicagoland area collected over 43,000 books to be distributed by Bernie's Book Bank to help increase Book Ownership among at-risk infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and school age children in the greater Chicago area. Additionally, the eighteen Chicagoland Goddard Schools will be donating $10,000 to Bernie's Book Bank.

Bernie's Book Bank collects, processes and distributes children's books to increase book ownership among low-income children throughout Chicagoland.

Bernie's Mission is to: facilitate the collection, processing and redistribution of new and gently used children's books to significantly increase BOOK OWNERSHIP among at-risk infants, toddlers and school-age children throughout Chicagoland.

"All of the books we have donated since opening in 2009 have been donated," said Bernie's Book Bank founder and Executive Director Brian Floriani. "That is over 2 million books. Our goal is to distribute 4 million by 2016. That would give every at-risk child in the Chicago area 12 books a year."

They believe that kids should own many books and have their very own personal library. They distribute book bags with at least 6 books on a regular basis.

"There is always some active trading after the bags have been distributed," said Floriani. "They really enjoy getting their books."

Forty students from Goddard schools in Round Lake, Third Lake and Vernon Hills were at Bernie's last Thursday to put stickers on the donated books that say "read and pass along."

"The kids were very excited to help pass along their books to Bernie's and to see the facility where their books get sorted," said David Raye, Owner of Goddard School in Third Lake. "Putting stickers on the books was a bonus."

For more information on Goddard Schools visit: http://goddardschool.com

Bernie's Book Bank: http://www.berniesbookbank.org