Book drive begins March 1 at local Bankri branches

idechildren’s the ere Coinciding with the start of ng-national Reading Month, Bank ionrhode Island (Bankri) will kick ingoff its annual Children’s Book 50 aredrive on Friday, March 1, at all ner22 of its branches. The collection ms/will run the entire month, benefitm.ingbooksarewingsandsupportnding the programs the organization

available to schools and students, and in the commutonity. ndtheir act This is the 14th year BANKP)RI has partnered with Books Are nd.wings on what has become one of 11the largest annual collections for Apthe organization. The Pawtucktheet-based nonprofit’s mission puts talfree books in the hands of children entwith a focus on Rhode Island’s , acore cities, as well as supporting its ileyoung readers across the state. It 40.does this work through unique, ldsyouth-centered programs and edundcation-based partnerships. on. “The relationship between

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01-and rly.during unmistakable – the more a child reads, the more success they’re likely to have in the classroom,” says Will Tsonos, Bankri’s President & CEO. “Every year, the community comes out in force to support our book drive and that generosity makes a real difference for local kids.”

Throughout March, all Bankri branches feature marked collection bins near their entrance to accept donations of new and gently used children’s books. The book drive also features a way to participate virtually by purchasing a book from the Books Are Wings Amazon Wish List. The Wish List of books requested by the nonprofit can be found on its website at Booksarewings.org/ donate-books.

Books collected during the Bankri drive will support Books Are Wings’ school and community programs, with a focus on the core cities of Pawtucket, Providence, Central Falls, and Woonsocket. In these under-resourced communities, just 18 percent of third graders meet expectations in reading proficiency, according to the 2022 Rhode Island Kids Count Factbook. Programs such as ‘Books All Year’ and ‘Read to 100 Challenge’ enable Books Are Wings to have a classroom presence and regularly provide free books to students to read and to keep as part of building their own at-home libraries. Last year, Books Are Wings distributed 57,005 books, nearly 10,000 of which were donated through Bankri’s 2023 effort.

“Everything we do is all about fostering a love of reading, and that begins by ensuring all children have access to books – it’s shocking how many kids grow up in homes without age-appropriate books,” said Jennifer Smith, Executive Director of Books Are Wings. “This Bankri drive is a significant source of books for us, and I want everyone to know that every single book we receive helps to make a difference.”

To find the Bankri branch closest to you and its hours, visit www. Bankri.com/locations.