Girl, 8, collects books for schools affected by Irma
While watching the news with her mom one morning in early October, 8-year-old Caitlin Underwood wondered what she could do to help people devastated by Hurricane Irma in the Florida Keys.
People were already donating food, water and clothes, said her mother, Tina Underwood. What else could her daughter donate that help people who had lost everything?
“That’s when I thought: books,” Caitlin said.
Caitlin remembered that her teacher the year before had been very into books, and said that sometimes they can make people feel calmer.
Caitlin and her mom started by recording a video about the book drive and sharing it on Facebook so friends and family could donate. Tina Underwood also called the Monroe County School District to find out which schools had been affected the worst. The district gave her the number for three schools that could use the books.
But Caitlin wanted to cast a wider net. She asked her third-grade teacher at Wilton Manors Elemenmight tary about it, and she spoke to the principal.
The next thing she knew, Caitlin was on the school’s televised morning announcements talking about the book drive and posting fliers around the school.
The books came pouring in. Kids in Distress and the Richard C. Sullivan Public Library of Wilton Manors encouraged people to donate, or