Volunteers prepare 21,736 books for children during United Way's Day of Action

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From young children with their families to a wide-range of community members and businesspeople, 144 volunteers took part in United Way of Rhode Island’s (UWRI) Day of Action on Saturday, June 2, preparing 21,736 books that will soon be in the hands of kids across the state.

For hours, volunteers meticulously sorted, labeled and packaged the books collected during UWRI’s recent Children’s Book Drive in partnership with Books Are Wings. Now in its 7th year, the collection has generated a total of 186,505 books since inception. The effort is strategically timed so books may be distributed to children in advance of the start of summer learning programs that help students avoid summer learning loss by keeping them engaged in active learning while school is out of session.

“The incredible response to our book drive and the hundreds of man hours donated during Day of Action have resulted in an impressive windfall of books that local children will be able to call their own,” said Anthony Maione, president and CEO of United Way of Rhode Island. “Summer learning loss is very real, but thanks to the generosity of our community, summer learning programs will have the tools they need to keep students on track with their education and better prepared to learn new curriculum when they return to the classroom in September.”

UWRI’s Children’s Book Drive was supported widely by Rhode Island’s business community. Companies that hosted on-site collections include Agoda, Coastway Community Bank, Hinckley Allen & Snyder, LLP, Monroe Staffing, Taco Comfort Solutions: A Taco Family Company, AIPSO, Customers Bank, Locke Lord, LLP, MOO, Textron, Inc., AstroNova, Inc., CVS Health, Long Wharf Resort, Pawtucket Credit Union, The Washington Trust Company, Beacon Mutual Insurance Co., Enterprise Holdings, McLaughlin & Moran, Inc., Petro, US Trust, Bank of America Private Wealth, CBIZ & MHM, FGX International, Metropolitan Life & Affiliate Co., Providence Mutual Fire Insurance Co., Virgin Pulse, Centerville Bank, FM Global, Miller Gymnastics, Rite-Solutions, Inc., Webster Bank, Coastal Medical, Inc., Hasbro, Inc., Modine Manufacturing Co., Schneider Electric and YMCA Kent County.

During Day of Action, a number of local businesses were represented through corporate volunteers, including Agoda, CVS Health, Hinckley Allen & Snyder, LLP, Rite-Solutions, Brown University, FGX International, Monroe Staffing, Strategic Point Investment Advisors, Citizens Bank, FM Global, Pawtucket Credit Union, Textron, Inc., Customers Bank, General Mills, Providence Mutual Fire Insurance Co., The Washington Trust Company.

Day of Action was established nationally to bring people across the country together to address the issues that matter most to their communities by harnessing the power of volunteerism. In Rhode Island, UWRI has dedicated Day of Action to improving childhood literacy by fostering a love of reading among all youth.

VOLUNTEERS 1

VOLUNTEERING FOR KIDS:

Volunteers from FM Global in Johnston were among the more than 140 individuals to donate their time and help prepare 21,736 books for distribution to children across the state during United Way of Rhode Island’s annual Day of Action on Saturday, June 2. Pictured from left are Mariana Cannon, Ronda Kelman, Joann White, Melissa Hamlin, Amy Daly, and Melanie Waterman. (Photo courtesy of United Way of Rhode Island)

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