The James Simons Literacy Project

This time of year people are especially busy. Communication is an important element of any organized endeavor, at any time of the year.  Tyre really appreciates the incredible response from the community, and from all the Buist Academy families.  The problem is some books we are receiving, while they would be absolutely wonderful for a "Friends of the Library" book sale, are just not appropriate for young children.  He hopes to get all of these books into the hands of people who will be able to use them, but they cannot be used for this project.  The goal of his project is to make sure that each child, ages 3-11, receives a new book that will belong to them forever - and not have to be returned to the library.  It also looks  like there will be enough good condition used books that each child will receive a used book too.  The project has received some really great children's books that have been meticulously cared for and are "nearly new."  But we are unable to use baskets of wonderful, pristine books that are college level, high school level, or even middle school level.  We also seem to be collecting quite a few grownup cook books and book club selections.  These are beyond the children's reading level. 

Tyre does not want to say "No Used Books," because he has gotten some really exceptional and wonderful used children's books from donors.  But  his mom and dad are begging, please, no more books that are not for children ages 3-11.  It makes the project harder to accomplish for Tyre, and also harder for mom and dad, who are trying to help, since Tyre doesn't drive, and books have to be picked up from the drop locations.  Here is a picture of the books donated last week.  The small pile in front are the ones that are actually children's books.   Those will be greatly appreciated by  James Simons.  Other groups will appreciate the other books equally as well, we just ask that you donate them directly to those groups, rather than through Tyre's project. 

Tyre continues to seek school, church and book groups that would like to donate new children's books as a holiday project, and appreciates everyone who helps by forwarding the link.

Mom and Dad

We want to thank Shannon Wilson at Better World Books, who sent us a gift certificate.  We used it to order three books, Jamela's Dress, Ellington was Not a Street, and Uncle Jed's Barbershop.  This is information about Better World Books.  Their prices are really good and also help literacy efforts around the world.  We put the whole message because we thought people would want to know about things going on around the world and not just in Charleston.

Our Triple Bottom Line: About Better World Books, Literacy, and the Environment

Better World Books is proud of the impact we are having and our ability to provide funds and books to some of the most important literacy initiatives in the world today. Since our founding in 2003 we have:  raised over $6.5 million for Literacy, including $3.6 million for over 80 literacy and education nonprofits, 2.9 million for libraries and thrift stores nationwide, contributed more than $1.4 million to college service clubs who have run book drives, directly sent more than 1.3 million books to Books for Africa, the National Center for Family Literacy, and Feed the Children, diverted 25 million pounds of books from landfills by conducting book drives on 1,800 college campuses, and by collecting discards from over 1,800 libraries nationwide. Our primary partners are:

Books For Africa is a simple name for an organization with a simple mission. BFA collects, sorts, ships and distributes books to children in Africa. The goal: to end the book famine in Africa. Since 1988, Books For Africa has shipped more than 20 million books. These books are now on once empty library shelves, in the classrooms of rural schools, and in the hands of children who have never held a book before.

Invisible Children improves the quality of life for war-affected children by providing access to quality education, enhanced learning environments and innovative economic opportunities for the community. Through education and innovative economic opportunities, they partner with affected communities and strive to improve the quality of life for individuals living in conflict and post conflict regions.

The National Center for Family Literacy's mission is to create a literate nation by leveraging the power of the family. Through groundbreaking initiatives, the NCFL fuels life improvement for the nation’s most disadvantaged children and parents. More than one million families throughout the country have made positive educational and economic gains as a result of the NCFL’s work, which includes training more than 150,000 teachers and thousands of other volunteers.

Room to Read has developed a holistic, multi-pronged approach to help children in the developing world gain the lifelong gift of education. This approach includes building schools, establishing bilingual libraries, publishing local language books, establishing computer labs, and funding long-term girls’ scholarships. Since its inception in 2000, Room to Read has impacted the lives of over 1.7 million children.

Worldfund's unique mission is to support high-quality and results-driven education in Latin America—the key to transforming lives and reducing poverty. Through their investment in schools, gifted student programs and superior teacher training, they have directly impacted 32,000 impoverished students in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru and Venezuela.

The planet! Better World Books has diverted more than 25 million pounds of books from landfill and put them online where people like you can buy them. When you buy used, you not only save money, but also save books from landfill and conserve resources. Plus every time you order from Better World Books, you have the option to ship your books carbon-neutral, which pays for carbon offsets from CarbonFund.org. 

Mr. Willeford donated The Prince of Fenway Park, which is a great book about a twelve year old kid who thinks he is cursed just like the Red Sox.  It is a brand new hardback book and we thank you.

We received bags and bags of books from Mrs. Cunnane's students.  They went through their books at home, and 55 different students brought in books to share that they thought the kids would really like.  And they were right - we got great books from current series that the kids really want.  Thank you to everybody who shared their books.

We are halfway to the goal of 300 new books.  We have 150 new books, or as "good as new" books.  We also got lots of good used books that are the kinds that kids really like, so Mrs. Livingston is going to use them for a "December book giveaway."  We are using the Christmas books for that.  All of the kids have to turn their library books in before winter break, but this way they get to pick books to have something to read over the holiday, and then they get to keep the books they pick.   And they also get to look forward to receiving a brand new book when the program is over in February.   We're pretty excited.  I am behind on thanking people because I have been at basketball practice.  The Buist Academy team is playing in the December tournament.  I will try to catch up the blog this weekend.  Thanks again.