News

Give a Christmas gift of reading by donating to book drive

Arkansas Catholic Good Book Drive aims to boost reading for low-income children

Published: November 3, 2018   

Aprille Hanson

Third-grade students at St. Theresa School in Little Rock Helen Hernandez (left), Harmony Weatherspoon, Julian Jacuzzi and Andrea Rodriguez-Carvajal, all 8 years old, look in the Arkansas Catholic book drive donation bin in the school library. Arkansas Catholic will be accepting new or like-new books through Nov. 30.

Aprille Hanson

Third-grade students at St. Theresa School in Little Rock Helen Hernandez (left), Harmony Weatherspoon, Julian Jacuzzi and Andrea Rodriguez-Carvajal, all 8 years old, look in the Arkansas Catholic book drive donation bin in the school library. Arkansas Catholic will be accepting new or like-new books through Nov. 30.

For more information about the Arkansas Catholic Good Book Drive, contact Hargett at mhargett@dolr.org or (501) 664-0125.

Arkansas Catholic is introducing a Christmas book drive for children in need being served by Catholic charities in the Diocese of Little Rock.

The Good Book Drive kicked off Nov. 1 and will continue through Nov. 30. Parishes, schools and Catholic organizations are encouraged to join the diocesan newspaper in collecting new and like-new books for children from newborns to age 10.

The newspaper was inspired to initiate the drive after learning of a need for children’s books in low-income homes.

“The statistics showed us that in low-income neighborhoods there is only one book for every 300 children, but in middle-income neighborhoods there are 13 books for each child,” said editor Malea Hargett. “We hope to inspire the next generation with a love of reading.”

Additional statistics shows that academic success can be boosted with more books in the home and reading to children before they begin school can influence their success.

Donors can buy a copy of their favorite children’s book or they can visit arkansas-catholic.org for a suggested reading list.

Age-appropriate English, Span­ish or bilingual books can be mailed or dropped off at St. John Center, Morris Hall, 2500 N. Tyler Street, Little Rock, AR 72207. Activity or coloring books or books that are torn or otherwise damaged cannot be accepted. Books with multicultural and ethnic characters and themes are encouraged.

Donated books will be given to Helping Hand of Greater Little Rock, Catholic Charities and parish-based charities serving children in need this Christmas.

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