What’s New? Starting the School Year Right
October 9, 2024
As the new school year kicks off, Behind the Book is gearing up to make a significant impact on literacy in New York City. We will start the school year by giving thousands of books to NYC students and faculties: The October 24th Book Bash!
The October Book Bash: A Celebration of Reading
On October 24th, Behind the Book will host its annual Book Bash, a heartwarming event that brings the joy of reading to children and young adults across Harlem. This book giveaway extends beyond the organization's regular school programs, reaching students who might otherwise miss out on the opportunity to become avid readers.
Why Harlem?
Harlem, despite its rich cultural history, is currently facing challenges as a low-income book desert. With under-resourced public libraries and no viable children’s bookstores for miles, many children in this neighborhood lack access to quality reading materials. In choosing from relatable, accessible titles, students who receive books from us can start building home libraries—an important step to fostering an intrinsic motivation to read.
The Impact of Literacy—Why It Matters?
Behind the Book's mission goes beyond just distributing books. We aim to empower the next generation of readers and writers by:
Nurturing critical thinking skills
Fostering creativity
Building self-confidence
These tools are essential in helping students reach their full potential and become self-sufficient, entrepreneurial citizens of tomorrow.
Thank you, Guru Krupa Foundation!
The Guru Krupa Foundation, one of Behind the Book's partners, has already made a significant impact by publishing the works of over 700 students. This strengthens the power of literacy programs in nurturing young talent and boosting self-confidence. Thank you, Guru Krupa: with you, our students not only met published authors but became published authors themselves!
Read about the super-powered 3rd graders ready to change the world in Power Up, one of 5 anthologies that was sponsored last year.
Corporate Volunteers Are Part of the Change!
Looking ahead to the winter and spring, Behind the Book brings corporate volunteers into classrooms that need help with writing and STEM activities. Whether through volunteering, sponsorship, or other forms of partnership, there are numerous ways for organizations to support Behind the Book's mission.
If your company has an annual volunteer date or your team would otherwise like to get a jump on planning a classroom engagement, let us know while we're still in the scheduling phase! We can pitch openings later, but we will always try accommodating early birds first. If your organization is unable to volunteer, but still wants to be involved in the vital work that we do, check out the link below!
