Is your alumni group, sorority, or fraternity looking for a way to make a positive impact within your community?
Consider creating a day of service and hosting a book drive in support of Reach Out and Read Kansas City.
DeAngela Burns-Wallace, a Stanford Alumni and Vice Provost for Undergraduate Studies for The University of Kansas was kind enough to take time out of her busy schedule to share her book drive story.
Each year Stanford encourages their alumni to participate in a national day of service, that way the organization has a positive community influence wherever their alumni go. She searched for a nonprofit that they could provide the most impact.
“Because we have a small alumni base in KC area, we looked for an activity that we could organize with a small number of people but have a significant impact. Reach Out and Read was an ideal partner.”
DeAngela believes in the importance of early reading, for her, the good Reach Out and Read Kansas City does is essential to her community.
“Reading allows kids to experience so many things, early reading opens up their imagination and possibilities. Supporting early childhood education and especially reading at all ages is key and critical in our society. Reach Out and Read Kansas City helps real families on a daily basis, that was important for us as we looked for a local partner.”
Book drives can take many forms, birthdays, school competitions, office events, cocktail parties, no matter the form though, the key to success it is planning and promotion.
“About four weeks prior we began to email alumni in the region asking them to collect age-appropriate books – their own, friends, family, etc. We used the national day of service called “Beyond the Farm” as the book drop off date. Myself and three other alums set up tables, boxes, and treats to welcome the drop-offs at my home. It was a simple set up but one that allowed alumni to drop off books and go. We boxed the books on site and delivered over 250 books to Reach Out and Read from the KC area Stanford alumni and our friends. “
Small book drives like this make a big difference in the Kansas City community. Thank you DeAnglea and the KC area Stanford Alumni for your continued support!
If you are interested in learning more, head over to our How to Host a Book Drive page for more information.
This year, the Hooked On Books Challenge collected over 24,000 gently used books from 20 elementary schools on both sides of the state line and 
This year’s Hooked On Books Challenge collected more than 24,000 gently used books to be redistributed to kids who need them throughout our community. 19 area schools participated in the annual book drive during January and February. All the books were sorted and distributed in March. Almost 10,000 books went to waiting rooms in Reach Out and Read’s 52 partner clinics. The rest were distributed to local agencies including W.E.B. Dubois Learning Center, The Urban Scholastic Center, The Upper Room, Literacy Kansas City, and several schools in KCK.
