The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, one of the largest private foundations in the United States, announced today the final results of the 3rd Annual Community Book Drive, held throughout the month of March, that supports the Baltimore Elementary and Middle School Library Project.
More than $20,000 was collected through online and cash donations that will purchase nearly 3,000 brand new, hard-cover children’s books for the Library Project Year 3 (2014) schools: Harford Heights Elementary, Morrell Park Elementary/Middle, and Windsor Hills Elementary/Middle. In addition, nearly 1,500 books were collected at 34 sites throughout the greater Baltimore metropolitan area. New children’s books will be placed in each of the Year 3 schools, and donated books that cannot be used in the libraries will benefit the Maryland Book Bank, one of more than 30 supportive Library Project partners.
The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation would like to thank all of the Library Project partners, community members, and organizations that took part in this year’s Book Drive. Here are just a few examples of the unique and powerful efforts to support this year’s event:
- $1,147 collected by students as part of “Penny Drives” held at Year 1 and 2 Library Project schools: Samuel Coleridge-Taylor Elementary, Arlington Elementary/Middle, Thomas Johnson Elementary/Middle, and Moravia Park Elementary. Throughout the month of March, students at each school collected pennies, “paying it forward”, in order to buy books for the next round of schools.
- $646 collected from a “round-up your check” campaign held at three Baltimore-area DuClaw Brewing Company restaurants during the month of April
- $135 collected from a movie night fundraiser sponsored by the Johns Hopkins School of Education
The Weinberg Foundation and its Library Project partners look forward to the grand openings of our four newest libraries that will be celebrated publically with a single event in September 2014. For more information on the Library Project, please visit www.baltimorelibraryproject.org.
