For many in the education world, summer is a quiet time for planning and reflection. But for Literacy Volunteers of Waldo County (LVWC), this summer will be its busiest time. Recognizing that too many families lack easy access to the delight and comfort of books as well as essential meals, Literacy Volunteers is delivering books in partnership with a program providing food to families in need with school-age children. To create an ample supply of reading possibilities, LVWC is conducting a book drive, requesting donations of gently used quality books for children of all ages.

Books will be given away to approximately 80 children of families receiving bag lunches through the Community Food for Children (CFFC) project, with the Belfast Soup Kitchen serving as lead partner and sponsor of the Federal Child Nutrition Summer Food Service Program. Lunches are being delivered daily for eleven weeks from mid-June to the end of August to four neighborhoods in East Belfast. The Book Lady visits each of the four neighborhoods once a week.

For the last two summers, in a similar partnership outreach to neighborhoods, clamors for “the Book Lady” became the norm, beginning as soon as food was delivered. As the red van driven by the Literacy Volunteers pulled up, children, mothers, fathers, and grandparents gathered to browse and select from the boxes of books organized by age and topic.

In addition to offering the Book Lady services, LVWC is leading the team of community partners who offer additional educational enrichment activities. Team members include the Belfast Free Library, Betty the Art Van, SNAP-Ed nutrition education, and University of Maine 4-H. The team provides activities and offers take-home resources that include not only books, but also art supplies and recipe cards. The goal of the education team is to inform and inspire families to take time this summer to practice healthy nutrition and have fun with books, art and music.

This will be the third annual Literacy Volunteers Book Drive. In 2019, LVWC led a book drive for children of asylum seekers in Portland, which resulted in over 200 books being distributed. In 2020, LVWC’s book drive drew donations of hundreds of books that gave children of all ages many hours of reading pleasure and discovery, according to LVWC.

Why does this book drive matter?

“I’ve found that even those kids who say they hate to read cannot resist pouring through the Book Lady’s books,” said Denise Pendleton, coordinator of Literacy Volunteers, in a news release. “I make an effort to have a wide selection that will appeal to readers of all types. My most requested titles are graphic /comic book stories, such as Diary of a Wimpy Kid or Captain Underpants,” but I also get requests for books “about the world,” science, sports or popular series titles for middle schoolers. Because my goal is to inspire and nurture a love of literacy and learning, I also provide math and language games and activity books.”

If you too want to give youth greater access to the joy of books, or if you are looking to clean your shelves of books your children have outgrown, contact Denise Pendleton at dpendleton@rsu71.org (207) 930-2436 to make arrangements for book donations. Books may be dropped off at Belfast Adult Education from July 11 - July 21, on Monday through Thursday, between 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. For those who wish to purchase a new book, Left Bank Books will set aside for the Book Lady any books purchased as a donation to the cause.