Wake community donates 138,000 books for kids, easily eclipsing drive’s goal
Thousands of Wake County children will have books to read this summer after the community came through in what organizers say is the most successful WAKE Up and Read book drive ever.
WAKE Up and Read set a goal of collecting 110,000 children’s books this year to give to 13 high-poverty elementary schools and the childcare facilities and community centers near those schools. The response was 138,000 books — more than enough to give every child at those schools 10 books to read.
On Thursday, students at Walnut Creek Elementary School in Raleigh picked their summer reading material.
“We’re incredibly grateful to all the organizations, businesses, schools and individuals who continue to help make the book drive a success,” said Carolyn Merrifield of WAKE Up and Read.
WAKE Up and Read was formed in 2012 by the Wake County school system in partnership with several community groups to promote childhood literacy.
This year’s total is more than double the 67,000 books collected in the group’s first annual book drive in 2014.
Books are going to Barwell Road, Brentwood, Bugg, Fox Road, Lynn Road, Walnut Creek and Wilburn elementary schools in Raleigh; Creech Road, East Garner and Smith in Garner; Hodge Road in Knightdale; Lincoln Heights in Fuquay-Varina and Wakelon in Zebulon.
Go to https://wakeupandread.org/ for more information about the program.
This story was originally published June 27, 2019 at 7:00 PM.
