2016 was a productive year for LoveBooks. We are thankful that we’ve had not only a steady stream of book donations, but several excellent projects to which we’ve been pleased to provide books.
Collecting books
In November 2016, LoveBooks received a notable donation from Emily Riley, a generous teacher at Julia Green Middle School. The interesting thing about this particular donation is that it was made possible through a program called Limitless Libraries. Through Limitless Libraries, Nashville’s public schools make use of the books they no longer need via the Public Library or programs like LoveBooks. It is so encouraging to see the strides Nashville is making in areas of our public resources and literacy – utilizing resources rather than throwing them into the landfills.
The congregation at First Church of the Nazarene, with its ample supply of families, has provided a steady stream of book donations for all ages. We have also been gifted with books my our East Nashville neighbors. Thank you, thank you!!
And here are some of ways we’ve put your donations to good use….
Students at Maplewood High School
LoveBooks has Partnered with Maplewood High School
Put an empowering teacher together with resourceful and compassionate students and magic happens. Jarred Amato, a teacher at East Nashville’s Maplewood High, worked with his students to create a program called Project Lit Community to encourage literacy and bring people together through the love of reading.
Maplewood Teacher Jarred Amato
They obtained unused newspaper stands from USA Today, painted them with the Project Lit logo, and went to work on their goal of collecting 10,000 books. Their plan is to put these newspaper boxes, filled with books, in businesses and community centers throughout Nashville. LoveBooks was thrilled to be able to donate a few thousand books to this wonderful effort.
Continuing to give to Emmaus
One of the mainstays of LoveBooks is to hand out books to the kids who participate in an Urban Ministry called Emmaus. Emmaus meets at First Church of the Nazarene on Sunday evenings to provide a free hot meal served restaurant-style, along with a brief biblical message and fellowship. Many neighbors and displaced city-dwellers are able to benefit from this service and we are blessed to have the opportunity to give each child present a book and sometimes even sit down and read a story with them.
Now we’re in collection mode again
After all these opportunities to serve up some good reads to our community, our supplies are running low. We are happily accepting book donations in anticipation of the next great opportunity that awaits us! We accept any book in good condition that suits any age from 0-18 years old.