“Little Bookworm Project” Holiday Book Drive For Underprivileged Children. Written by Michelle Rivera

Mommyhood to Hollywood is launching the “Little Bookworm Project,” its first annual holiday book drive for underprivileged children. 

This Fall I was the Co-Chair person for my daughter’s preschool Scholastic Book Fair and I discovered two things while I was coordinating and working the event and here is what they were:

The first thing I discovered is how much children really do love books.  My daughter is almost 3 years old and she has always loved books, but I thought she just happened to be a little bookworm (hence the name of this project), however I was wrong.  Every child who stepped into the book fair with their parents was excited to be there and their little eyes lit up at the sight of all the fantastic books that were waiting for them.

The second thing I discovered is how expensive books really can be.  Low income families can barely afford groceries for their households, let alone books, and faced with the option of either feeding their children or providing them with books, of course feeding their children would win out.  This is why I decided to create the “Little Bookworm Project” because every child deserves the gift of reading.    

People say, “Reading is power,” but what happens when children don’t have the books to read in their hands to gain that power?

Do you know that….

• 80 percent of the pre-schools and after school programs serving children in need do not have a single book for the children they serve.
• In some of the lowest-income neighborhoods in the country there is only one book available for every 300 children.
• Families living in poverty often lack the money to buy new books, as well as access libraries.   In fact, 61% of low-income families do not have any children’s books in their homes.
• Children and adults who are illiterate or have low literacy skills have poor educational, employment, and health outlooks. Many of them will not graduate from high school, will earn barely enough to stay above poverty levels, and will be more likely to engage in criminal and anti-social behaviors.  Over the course of their lifetimes, they will cost the United States more than a quarter of a million dollars each.

Mommyhood to Hollywood’s “Little Bookworm Project” wants to help change this, but we can’t do it without all of you.  Next time you are at the post office, especially during this holiday season, please keep us in mind.  Donate a new or gently used unwrapped children’s book by December 8th and ship it to:

 Mommyhood to Hollywood                          P.O. Box 248                                                        Moorpark, CA 93020

Or you can drop off a book at the following location too! 

Euodia Salon and Day Spa at 142 West Los Angeles Ave. in Moorpark, CA

All books will be donated to the following non-profit organizations:

Beyond Shelter, which is a non-profit organization whose mission is to develop systemic approaches to combat poverty and homelessness among families with children, and to enhance family economic security and well-being.

and to the….

Good Shepherd Shelter for Battered Women and Children.  They welcome mothers and their children of every culture, color and creed, and offer them a unique environment for long-term emotional, social, educational and spiritual healing and growth.  They are the sole shelter providing an on-site school, on-site therapy, on-site legal advocacy, and independent apartment units for battered women and their children.

and to the…. 

Catholic Charities of Moorpark who partners with Food Share, local churches, civic organizations, and some Moorpark businesses and Moorpark schools.  Local volunteers keep this Center open.  Hundreds of hours are donated each month to carry, sort, pack and distribute food and clothing to families in the local community.