Paige Clausius-Parks is the director of advancement for Books Are Wings, having joined the organization in 2014 as assistant director before advancing to her current position. In her role, Clausius-Parks oversees the organization’s fundraising efforts and the acquisition of tens of thousands of donated books annually that advance the mission of Books Are Wings.
Clausius-Parks came to Rhode Island in 1999 to study public and community service studies at Providence College, graduating summa cum laude. She later earned her master’s degree in education administration, planning and social policy from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education. In 2017, she was recognized as an Emerging Nonprofit Leader by the Rhode Island Foundation and is currently a student at the Institute for Nonprofit Practice.
PBN: Books Are Wings is celebrating its 20th anniversary year. For those who may be unfamiliar, what is your organization’s mission?
CLAUSIUS-PARKS: Books Are Wings is dedicated to putting free books in the hands of children and we are the only organization in Rhode Island that uses donations of new and gently used children’s books to meet the need for book ownership in low-income communities.
We meet children and families wherever they are, including schools, community centers, food pantries, parks, kindergarten registration events, and their homes. We do not rely on parents to bring children to us. Instead, we bring books to them, where they are most comfortable. Wherever there are kids, we strive for there to also be books.
PBN: How has your work evolved over the past two decades, both in terms of its scope and reach?
CLAUSIUS-PARKS: BAW began with two simple concepts: Reading is Fun, and I Have, so I Give. Twenty years ago, Betsy Dennigan, a local mother, was wondering what to do with the books her children had outgrown. With her children’s guidance, she donated them to a daycare she learned had too few books, igniting a movement.
In 2003, BAW incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit governed by a board of directors and unique book parties began at local libraries and parks, giving children the opportunity to discover the joy of reading. A few years later, we expanded our book parties and began programming in elementary schools, Head Start programs and community centers. Today, our modest staff is complemented by more than 100 active volunteers and thanks to the generosity of the community and our partners, BAW collected nearly 60,000 books last year alone – redistributing more than 50,000 to children in Central Falls, Newport, Pawtucket, Providence and Woonsocket.
PBN: As you celebrate your 20th anniversary, what special activities or events do you have planned to commemorate the milestone?
CLAUSIUS-PARKS: We have a number of special programming activities planned with our community partners so we may share the excitement. But our big celebration will be our 20th Anniversary Jubilee on Tuesday, May 21, at the Center by the Blackstone. This special, one-time event will celebrate BAW’s success and encourage financial investment in our organization’s continued growth. At the event, we will honor three outstanding individuals and businesses for their extraordinary commitment to putting free books in the hands of children. We’re still finalizing some of the details, so I encourage readers to keep an eye on BooksAreWings.org for more information.
PBN: You’ve recently installed a number of “Book Spots” in various locations around the state – can you tell us about this initiative and its purpose? Do you have any other new programming on the horizon?
CLAUSIUS-PARKS: Our Book Spots are indoor and outside structures filled with children’s books and are located throughout the state. They’re based on the “take a book, return a book” free book exchange model made popular nationwide by Little Free Library, a Wisconsin-based nonprofit.
In Rhode Island, we partnered with Little Free Library and received permission to alter the concept so children can take books without the expectation that they are returned. BAW maintains and stocks these structures and has partnerships with community, city and state organizations for their placement. We currently have Book Spots in the R.I. Department of Human Services waiting rooms in Pawtucket, Providence and Wakefield [in South Kingstown]; Department of Children, Youth and Families’ visitation rooms in Providence; the Department of Motor Vehicles in Cranston; Jenks Park in Central Falls; Newport Hospital; Roger Williams Park Zoo; Veterans Memorial Park in Central Falls; and World War II Memorial Park in Woonsocket.
Since the program’s inception last year, more than 10,000 books have found new homes with children after leaving our Book Spots, and that number is rapidly increasing. Looking ahead, we have been so thrilled with the response to our Book Spots program that we’re in the process of identifying [new] locations to install more structures.
PBN: Support from the community remains vital to your work fostering a love of reading among kids and improving childhood literacy. What are some of the ways local residents can get involved?
CLAUSIUS-PARKS: BAW is a small organization with big outreach; the only way we’re able to accomplish what we do is through support from the community. We’re always looking to engage people with our work and offer a number of ways individuals and businesses can help make Rhode Island a literacy-rich state.
Book donations are a critical component of fulfilling our mission, so we always welcome donations of new and gently used children’s books and invite people to organize collections at their place of work, school or community group. Volunteers are also vital and have a direct impact on the lives of children by showing reading is fun. We can always use volunteers at our events to help children select books, read aloud and lead craft activities. Help is always needed at our donation center to sort and organize donations.
Lastly, we operate on philanthropic contributions from individuals and organizations, so every donation we receive is vital to ensuring low-income children have access to the books they need to be successful in the classroom and in life.
Emily Gowdey-Backus is a staff writer for PBN. You can follow her on Twitter @FlashGowdey or contact her via email, gowdey-backus@pbn.com.
