I've been a volunteer almost from the beginning. There is nothing better than seeing the excitement and laughter of kids picking out their own books! I love helping a student find "that particular book" they want and the joy it gives that student and me.
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Helping kids receive their own books is such rewarding experience - seeing how excited they are and all the beautiful smiles on their faces! I'm a volunteer all year round - helping in the warehouse or office, distribution of books to kids at schools and at the annual fund raising book sale. This was just what I was looking for when I retired.
Top notch nonprofit! Fiscally responsible, while accomplishing its mission with research based results. In addition, BFK cultivates a welcoming environment for volunteers. My experience has been fulfilling, and I’m honored to be able to serve.
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As a long time volunteer, I can attest that this nonprofit does everything the right way. The small staff is dedicated and makes it a pleasure to serve as a volunteer, from warehouse to distribution days. Funds are used wisely and the cause is one that is dear to all our hearts. But, it’s not just a “feel good” story. Research has proved that Books for Keeps positively impacts students by stopping “summer slide”, and actually raising reading levels. The attached photo of my friend Marnie and me illustrates the joy of volunteering at a book distribution day!
As a former elementary teacher, I had admired BFK through their social media posts. I attended two book sales and wanted to volunteer to help distribute the books this year. The sign-ups are easy to fill out and all the necessary information is provided for each school site. I volunteered at two different schools. We received a quick training on how best to assist the students with their book selections. The prior organization to bring the variety of books to each school helped move each scheduled class through efficiently. It warmed my heart to see how excited the students were to select their books. I look forward to volunteering again next year.
My wife is a teacher in Clarke County. She was the first to tell me about how wonderful Books For Keeps is. Then, when my daughter (who loves to read) experienced her first giveaway, I got to experience firsthand how excited she was to be able to choose so many books of her own. This year I volunteered to help with distribution to her entire grade and it was so much fun to watch and talk to the kids about what topics excited them and why. I can't say enough good things about BFK!
From the moment that you choose to either participate in volunteer activities or attend a book sale, you will be amazed with how kind, professional, organized and motivated they are to help the community.
I volunteered to help with the organization of books a few months before the book sale. We spent a few hours organizing and sorting books. The system that they had in place was easy to learn and we all had a good time looking through the interesting books and deciding which category they belonged. I also had a great time at the books sale in any way that I could. This money is given back to community via local schools. This is a great organization and I highly recommend that you be involved with them in any capacity.
Books for Keeps is an amazing non-profit in Athens, GA that has a very specific and focused mission - to provide books for children that might not otherwise have access to them over the summer school break. It has been shown that kids who do not read over the summer experience "summer slide" and start out the new school year at a disadvantage. Our community has a very high poverty rate and this one non-profit is doing something tangible to help bring equity to our community.
Books-for-Keeps is dedicated to making sure all kids in our community get 12 brand new books at the end of the school year so they can read over the summer. I have watched children react with unparalleled joy and excitement when they get to choose 12 books to take home. It is like Christmas in May!
BFK spends the year raising funds to buy these books so children have an incredible range and variety to choose from. The organization is extremely well run, has a fabulous small staff, and an amazing volunteer base, and will soon reach every K-5 school child in our county with hopes to expand to the entire state. What an amazingly simple yet effective goal - to help children learn the joy and passion of becoming a life-long reader. I have been involved in all phases of book acquisition, fund-raising, and book distribution and it has become my favorite non-profit to date!
Way over 90,000 books given to several school districts in Georgia—particularly in Athens-Clarke County!
Books for Keeps is well organized, well managed, and well....the BEST!
This is the most amazing organization I have ever worked with and the best part is that they are local and they were started by one local woman who just wanted to make a small difference. If you truly want to make a direct impact in the local schools this is the place. Being a part of the book distributions is so rewarding. The kids love it and it's wonderful to know that this program has actual data to prove what they do is having a positive effect on the community.
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I am devoted to Books for Keeps’ mission and all that they do for children so they do not fall behind in their studies during the summer months. Many of us take for granted our access to libraries and book stores. There are a lot of children who do not have that access. Books are magic and it’s wonderful to see children reading their new books that they have chosen. Books for Keeps is a valuable part of our community.
I've donated and volunteered with Books for Keeps for the past 4 years. My first year helping out with book distributions at an Athens elementary school, I heard one young student say to another, "This is just like Christmas, only better!". That hooked me. The purpose of this program is to give young children a chance to stay ahead academically through access to summer reading. But the heart of Books for Keeps lies in the simple truth that children will know the magical wonder of reading if we can remove barriers to owning their own books.
My family LOVES BFKs! This will be our 3rd year to attend their book sale!
So organized and dedicated, you can feel the love and caring in the atmosphere. Bless you for all that you do!
Books for Keeps is a MARVELOUS organization I've been honored to volunteer with for a number of years. As a member of Athens Lions club I have arranged book donations, helped in the warehouse, solicited donations, and assisted numerous times during school book distributions. I look forward to many years working together!
I've been volunteering with Books for Keeps for a year now and it's amazing to see how much this nonprofit does right here in Athens. The staff is incredible and you can see just how committed they are to the mission and purpose of their organization. After volunteering at school distributions for the first time this spring, it warmed my heart to see how excited each of the children became when they saw all the tables of new books that they got to choose for themselves. Their passion for reading is evident in their enthusiasm and eagerness to race friends to get a copy of Diary of a Wimpy Kid or carefully pick out picture books that they can read to their younger siblings who are not yet old enough to be in the program.
I have been volunteering with Books for Keeps for a year now. I can tell you this is a very well-run and exciting charity. They do so much good in our community, especially with students who are not used to having brand new books of their own at home. The kids get so excited at the annual book give-away. A lot of hard work all year goes into it and I am very proud to be a part of such a good cause. I've helped behind the scene at the warehouse, and with the actual give-away at the schools, so I've seen the big picture of background work and joyful excitement of the kids at the end. I believe it helps keep these kids reading all summer.