During this giving season, we are delighted our friends at Barnes & Noble are making it extra simple for anyone to put new books in the hands of kids who need them.
Holiday book drives are on from November 1 to December 9 at multiple Barnes & Nobles around Washington:
I love the wonderful books you gave us. They are so amazing all of them! I hope you keep bringing more and more books. I don’t have much books at home. I read them to my little brother. Sincerely, Taylor
The next time you’re in the U District, swing by University Book Store on the Ave to pick up a couple children’s books for the Graduate Hotel’s book drive benefiting Page Ahead.
They have a goal of collecting 100 brand-new kids’ books in October and November, and U Book Store has LOTS of great titles they’ve prepared that the kids we serve would be thrilled to have on their shelves. Books can be dropped off at the front desk of the Graduate Hotel (4507 Brooklyn Ave NE) . . . and they’ll even given you a discount on a cup of coffee at their coffee shop, Poindexter!
No plans to be in the U District any time soon? Shop this list online and books will automatically be shipped to Page Ahead and counted into the Graduate Hotel total goal. (Plus Page Ahead will get 10% of the purchase price back through Bookshop.org!)
The rumors are true: there’s a new pageahead.org! BIG thank you to our friends at White Rabbit who designed and built it for us.
PACCAR + Mariners = Books for Kids
PACCAR has teamed up with the Seattle Mariners through the RBIs for Literacy program to benefit Page Ahead, and together, they create thousands of reading opportunities for kids in need. Now in its 16th season, this incredible partnership has given over 280,000 books to create home libraries for more than 23,000 kids who need them most.
Pictured left to right is PACCAR Foundation executive Ken Hastings, PACCAR Kenworth employee Tera McCormack, Page Ahead executive director Susan Dibble, and Page Ahead board member Bri Pentecost.
And that’s only part of the story. PACCAR employees also support kids and reading by holding a company-wide book drive and volunteering to read with students. This September they collected 2,650 new books via their book drive. Thank you, PACCAR, for your incredible partnership!
Plan a holiday book drive
Hosting a book drive to benefit the kids Page Ahead serves is a great way for your company, corporate team, or even a group like an extended family or book club to celebrate the spirit of giving AND make a difference in a child’s life.
Thank you to our friends at Stryker who held an amazing book drive last year—and are at it again this year!
Frequently asked question:
Will you take my slightly used kids’ books? They’re in good condition!
Answer:
No (though we do have some suggestions of other places that will take used books); we think it’s especially important that the kids we serve get to have NEW books. “We’ve had hand-me-down books for a long time,” a parent of a kindergartner at Arlington Elementary in Tacoma told us recently. “For my daughter to receive new books, it makes her feel as though they were special for her and it motivates her to read more.”
Fall is workplace giving season
Did you know you can support kids and reading through a payroll deduction? Workplace campaigns allow you to designate Page Ahead as your charity of choice—simply select Page Ahead (AKA Books for Kids) on your giving form or in your corporate giving portal.
We are also happy to come speak (virtually) at any campaign kickoffs or team meetings—just get in touch. Email us!
Returning to the office this fall? Continuing remote work for the immediate future? If you’d like to hold a workplace fundraiser or book drive either online or in person, we can help with that, too!Click herefor ideas or get in touch.
Public employees campaign codes for Page Ahead (AKA Books for Kids):
Combined Federal Campaign (CFC), federal employees: #47136
Combined Fund Drive of Washington (CFD), state employees: #0315741
King County employees: #2751
In memoriam
We are sad to report that a very beloved Page Ahead volunteer and friend, Jane Hodges, has recently passed away. After teaching in the Edmonds School District for more than twenty years, Jane joined Page Ahead as a volunteer in 2016. Jane was a dedicated Story Time volunteer for the kindergarten classrooms at Hawthorne Elementary School and a fearless book fair helper at many of the schools we serve with Book Up Summer. She was willing to go where the need was greatest, no matter how far the drive, as she enjoyed traveling. She will be dearly missed, and her memory will be an inspiration.
Jane Hodges during a Story Time
“Miss Jane became a favorite visitor in my kindergarten classroom this year. She brought engaging new books and presented them with enthusiasm. The children loved listening to her and the follow-up craft was both meaningful and easy to assemble.” — teacher, Hawthorne Elementary School
“Jane comes prepared with her book and lesson plan organized. She is excellent in managing the classroom environment during story time and craft time. She is always upbeat and cheerful, and she spreads sunshine whenever she comes to visit. The students LOVE Miss Jane the Story Lady!”— teacher, Hawthorne Elementary School
Coming soon: First Tech’s Season of Giving
Our friends at First Tech Federal Credit Union will once again be running their Season of Giving community campaign, and Page Ahead will be in running for a $7,500 grant!
Voting opens November 1, so stay tuned—your vote could make the difference for Page Ahead and the kids we serve!
If you think Page Ahead is a great nonprofit, let us know!
GreatNonprofits—a review site like TripAdvisor—is honoring highly reviewed nonprofits with their 2022 Top-Rated Awards. Your review of your experience being part of the Page Ahead community will help us raise visibility (and funds from more supporters!). It’s easy and will take just two minutes. Go to our page on GreatNonprofits.org to get started!
Successful sports teams bring money into their hometowns, but not just for T-shirts, beer and ball caps. Seattle nonprofits (including Page Ahead!) say they too are getting a windfall from the Mariners’ winning season.
The creative problem-solvers at White Rabbit Group built this beautiful new site for us, and we’re so grateful for their generous donation of their time and expertise—and we’re sending especially BIG thanks to Natalie Samaniego and Casey Trauty for their project management and design skills that helped make this long-awaited project a reality.
Please explore and click around, and if you run into any bugs or issues, please let us know at info@pageahead.org.
Hosting a book drive to benefit the kids Page Ahead serves is a great way for a company, corporate team, or even a group like an extended family or book club to celebrate the spirit of giving AND make a difference in a child’s life.
Thank you to our friends at Stryker who held an amazing book drive last year—and are at it again this year!
Fall is the perfect time of year to get your holiday book drive plans in motion! You can collect books in person, online, or both, and Page Ahead will help you along the way if you have any questions. Check out our book drive page to learn more.
