Confession.  For years, we placed the following hardcovers in a landfill dumpster behind the Book Bank: outdated reference like World Books,encyclopedias, dictionaries, atlases -  torn, waterdamaged tomes - and obsolete curricular materials. It broke our hearts, but we had no recourse because our recycler would have fined us for mixing this with the softcover recycle mix.  We were getting close to ordering a larger dumpster, which would have cost us a couple hundred dollars more each month.

And then we connected with United States Recycling Inc./Newman Paperboard, a paper recycler located just over the Tacony Palmyra Bridge.  They offered to pay us for damaged and out of date books, which they transform into hard cardboard for puzzles, luxury boxes, playing cards, book covers, and game board. 

​We got rid of our dumpsters and together we're working to keep books out of landfill.  Unwanted books are now wanted.  Please see where they go! https://newmanpaperboard.com/

What a joy to share our books with the world.  Thank you Shamma Dickens-Phillips, Executive Director of The Bridgeview Foundation, for arranging this shipment.

"Many thanks for the  donation and the schools are very grateful for your generous donation.

The Bethany Primary and Infant School extends our heartfelt gratitude for your generous contribution of books. We recognize that today's reader is tomorrow's leader, and your kindness will inspire our students to grow, learn and lead.

Thank you for your invaluable support."

Anika White-Claire

Today we took the show on the road and distributed 1800 books to grateful teachers in Chester during their professional development day. This was the first time for us spreading book-joy at a PD, and we're onto something.  

These teachers will stock their classroom libraries and distribute them to their young scholars.  Let's make sure that every child has a library of their own!

And a huge should out to our Action Tank friends for helping distribute.  Vets performing public service the day after Veteran's Day is a beautiful thing.  Take note of the carboard bookshelves donated by Mark and Linda Torres!

What a joy to distribute 1000 books to students at James J Sullivan Elementary School during Literacy Night! We are honored to serve Philadelphia schools and envision a time where EVERY student grows up with books in the home, starting at infancy.
Thank you, Principal Ms. Shantelle Yarbrough and Assistant Principal Nicole Ridgeway for inviting BookSmiles into your school. It was a great time!

Access to books starting at infancy is key to breaking intergenerational poverty. Tim Whitaker, the founder and Executive Director of Mighty Writers and I discussed irrigating book deserts by distributing books through food banks and pantries. And MW distributes LOTS of food!

It was wonderful showing Tim and his staff the Book Bank in Pennsuaken. Reach out and we'll schedule a date for a tour! ​

Our 2nd Annual Townsend Press - BookSmiles was a success.  With 224 runners and walkers, along with generous sponsors, the race is "in the books," spreading brand awareness, building community, and letting people have fun on a glorious Sunday morning!

Scores of book-lovers came to our first book sale, generating $3,200 in sales.  BookSmiles was able to give $1,500 to our cohosts, the Kiwanis Club of Greater Mount Laurel, of which Larry, our Executive Director, is a member.

We had so much fun selling grown up books that we'll do it again next year! 

There are many teachers following us who remember how they'd scrounge, beg, borrow, and steal to get a classroom library. We are stopping this by supplying teachers with UNLIMITED BOOKS that they can GIVE AWAY to students.
​
Today I drove up to my alma mater, The College of New Jersey and distributed 1,100 books to 50 students who will soon graduate as teachers! All new teachers in the NJ/Philly region should visit the book bank this summer.