Goddard School preschoolers collect over 30,000 books for charity

From Jan. 4-23, the Goddard School located in Cary and 17 other locations throughout the Chicago area kicked off a monthlong charity book drive with the goal of collecting more than 30,000 books for Bernie's Book Bank, a nonprofit that provides books to low-income families and schools.

The Goddard School provides an enriched learning environment. However, not all children have the same access to books and literacy enrichment environments. To help children learn about the importance of reading and the importance of giving to those in need, the school launched this book drive to build literacy in the local community by providing engaging books to children in need.

"The combination of book collection and volunteering on site makes this an impactful partnership for both our organizations," explains Bernie's Book Bank founder Brian Floriani. "The fact that Goddard School introduces service opportunities to their students is a compelling part of its curriculum. We are grateful for their continued support."

Preschoolers and the Goddard School community met at the new Bernie's Book Bank location Jan. 27 to announce their total donation of 32,502 books this year, totaling 105,838 books in 3 years for Bernie's Book Bank. A memorial for late franchisee, Wes Ley, also took place with a plaque unveiled and a donation of $10,000 in his memory.