St. Charles Community working together to collect books for at-risk children

St. Charles, IL - March 20, 2013 - The entire community of St. Charles is working together on a book drive to children's books for Bernie Bernie's Book Bank, a non-profit that collects, processes and redistributes quality children's books to at-risk children all over Chicagoland.

The book drive is being facilitated by Amy Kappele, lifelong St. Charles resident, literacy teacher for St. Charles School District and longtime supporter of Bernie's Book Bank. Kappele says, "I was hooked from the moment I walked in Bernie's Book Bank and saw books overflowing from the sorting bins. I knew I had found a place that could change lives! As a reading specialist, I see the impact that book ownership can have on a child's life....from the words that fill their minds, the creativity and imagination that shapes their ideas and the joy they have when they can call a book their own."

Amy worked with Jessie Urban, Director of Operations at Bernie's Book Bank to set a goal for the school of 30,000 books. Books can be dropped at any St. Charles District 303 (elementary, middle, high), St. Charles Park District, St. Charles Public Library, Blue Goose Market, Dick Pond's Running Store, Aquascape and Townhouse Books and Cafe (who is offering a 20% discount to book donors!). The drive will run April 1 through April 12.

Bernie's Book Bank collects, processes and distributes quality new and gently used children's books to at-risk children all over Chicago and its suburbs with the intention of creating book owners and readers for a lifetime. Founded in December 2009, Bernie's Book Bank has distributed more than 1 MILLION books to Chicago-area children through schools and other organizations that serve large populations of at-risk children. They will distribute 1 MILLION more books in 2013!

Books collected for Bernie's Book Bank are sorted according to reading level, stickered with a Bernie's Book Bank sticker and delivered to at-risk children in Chicago and its suburbs within seven days. Every child served receives at least 12 books per year. Because of the support of volunteers, the cost to collect, process and deliver books is only 25 cents per book.

For more information, visit www.berniesbookbank.org or call 847-780-READ (7323).