A Book is a Gift You Can Open Again and Again

Greater Enrichment Program strives to teach their 300 students in grades K-5 a love of reading. They found themselves faced with the question: How can you learn to love reading if you don't have books at home?

GEP set a goal to help students build a home library, hoping to give each child several books to take  before Spring Break, and implementing a challenge around reading over the break.

That's where YOU came in. 

Incredible Jane's Fund volunteers, Anjie Waters and Emily Teddy began spreading the word about a book drive. Thousands of new and gently used books poured in. Annie Totten of Generation We got word and donated 300 brand new books to the cause, specially chosen for their diverse, inclusive content and reading level. Jane's Fund added a brand new book tub for each child to decorate and take home.

In the end, GEP held a book shopping event, where each child got to choose five books that interest them to take home and love...the beginnings of their very own libraries.

“In New York, concrete jungle where dreams are made of, there’s nothin’ you can’t do... These streets will make you feel brand-new, big lights will inspire you...”
- Jay-Z and Alicia Keys, Empire State of Mind (song)