BankRI book drive collects 2,300 books for National Reading Month

PROVIDENCE – Over 2,000 books are on their way to local children after the conclusion of Bank Rhode Island’s monthlong book drive in support of Pawtucket-based nonprofit Books Are Wings.

This year, which marked the financial institution’s sixth year of partnership with Books Are Wings, raised the total number of books donated since 2011 to more than 12,000. A wide variety of fiction and nonfiction children’s books for students ranging in age from elementary to middle school were donated through the 2016 book drive.

Jocelynn White, director of Books Are Wings, is thankful for Bank Rhode Island’s continued support of children’s literacy in Rhode Island. “[Due to] their efforts, more than 1,000 local children have the great opportunity to choose from a wonderful selection of books to take home,” she said.

The books donated this year were presented during book parties, events sponsored by Books Are Wings to promote children’s literacy, to kindergarteners in Central Falls and two elementary schools in Providence, said White.
“Central Falls, Woonsocket and neighborhoods in Pawtucket and Providence are most at risk for lower literacy rates. Children from low-income families often participate less frequently in shared reading [activities] than children from higher socioeconomic groups,” she added.

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Customers and staff from across all 19 Bank Rhode Island branch locations came together throughout the month of March to donate books and other reading materials to support children in need.

Mark J. Meiklejohn, president and CEO of Bank Rhode Island, said: “Not only did our customers and staff once again step up to the plate to help others, the quality of the books donated and their wide range of subjects were second to none. We are thrilled with the results of this year’s collection and appreciative of everyone who contributed to its success to ensure children have books to call their own and an opportunity to build their home libraries.”

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