Changing the World: One Book at a Time
OMBR
One Million Books Revolution
How many books did you have when you were growing up?
Promising Pages estimates there are at least 60,000 kids in the Charlotte area alone growing up without books at home (Promising Pages, Classroom Central, 2011).
These are children whose parents are struggling to merely survive and provide basic essentials such as food and shelter--age appropriate children's reading material simply isn't on the radar. Yet according to the US Department of Education, if a child is not exposed to books by the time they enter kindergarten, that child is 3 to 4 times more likely to drop out of high school. Every year there are kids entering school who have never touched a book before, and do not know which way is up or down or how to turn the pages. Some teachers tell us they’ve been asked by these students, "Why am I stupid?" They fact is they are not stupid, they just didn't have the same kinds of basic resources.
Numerous studies point to the correlation between early access to books and brain development. Ninety percent of all brain synapses form between birth and age five. At Promising Pages, we feel that early literacy is the key to ensure future success. Lack of access to books is a main reason why our children and school systems are struggling.
We can stop this social injustice.
We can do this by collecting books that other children have already outgrown, and get them back into the hands of children who need and want to read them. To us these pages are so much more than books. Each book represents a young life we can help change.
We invite you to put together a team at your school, work, church or civic group and help us collect those precious books that are sitting on shelves, going unread after other kids have outgrown them.
Our goal is to collect One Million Books between now and this time next year. That’s how many we feel we need to give all kids in Charlotte a book shelf full of books at home. Will you help us change Charlotte for the better? Will you help us start a reading revolution?
Request more info on the One Million Books Revolution!
Please fill out our contact form and a member of our organization will contact you shortly.
Our Plan
There are 365 days in a year, which means we have to collect an average of 2,740 books a day to reach our goal. That means we need 365 businesses, churches or schools to come on board an pledge to collect this amount, on average. Think you can collect more? Awesome! Every book counts! We are seeking new and gently used books for baby to adult. Our biggest need is toddler to 2nd grade.
How easy is it to collect?
Meet 17 year old Allie Halter. Allie was one of 22 high school students who interned for us in the summer of 2011. We encouraged our interns to consider joining our “200 Club.” This honor is reserved for youth who collect 200 books or more for Promising Pages. Allie collected a whopping 4,100 books! So how we see it is if Ms. Halter can collect up a storm, so can businesses, church and schools, or other individuals. Easy enough!
Don't have time now?
Get your spot booked on our calendar. We are currently booking spots for drives and warehouse volunteer opportunities from now through the end of 2013. Don't think you can collect that many? No problem, every book counts. We are also seeking donations of tape, wrapping paper and paper towels. If you can collect for us, please consider helping us process these gems at our warehouse. All of our books are sorted stamped and cleaned, while many of them are wrapped as special presents that are hand delivered to our kids via our Mascots Erm the Bookworm or Erma the Book Worma.