A drive to collect children’s books for the Goodwill BookWorks program begins Feb. 1 and ends March 15.
People are encouraged to donate children’s story books in good condition or they can make a monetary donation to purchase books. Goodwill can buy story books for less than $1 each.
Last year, the program, which operates in seven Florida counties, gave books to more than 55,000 children from low-income families. In Sumter County, books were given to 2,339 children.
The book drive is part of Goodwill’s child literacy program. Volunteers read to children at Head Start centers and other locations, then present each child with a book to take home. For many of the children, it is the first book they’ve ever received.
Book donations may be dropped off at any Goodwill-Suncoast store or donation site in Sumter, Marion, Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Polk or Hernando counties. A note should be attached to the books indicating they are “For BookWorks.”
People who want to volunteer for the BookWorks program can call 888-279-1988 or email [email protected]. Monetary gifts can be made online at goodwill-suncoast.org/give-online/.
Program sponsors include radio and television stations and newspapers in the Tampa area.
BookWorks, which is designed to instill a love of reading in children, is related to Goodwill’s mission because literacy allows people to qualify for better jobs.
Goodwill-Suncoast is a nonprofit organization that operates retail stores in 10 counties of West Central Florida. Its retail operation supports human services programs that include job connection centers, job placement for people with disabilities, the children’s literacy program, community corrections programs and affordable apartment communities for the elderly and people with disabilities.