North Shore Book Bank Needs Volunteers

by Erin Gallagher

Early childhood books are critical to a lifetime of education. That’s the premise of Bernie’s Book Banks, which gives books to at-risk infants, toddlers and school-age children throughout Chicagoland.

With a goal of collecting, processing and distributing 1.3 million books in 2014, the non-profit organization needs volunteers for the final push.

“What is most important is that by year’s end, we will have reached our goal for the year to collect, process and distribute more than 1.3 million quality children’s books to more than 100,000 at-risk children all over the Chicagoland,” wrote Brian Floriani, executive director in an email to supporters.

”In addition, we have laid a solid foundation for tremendous growth in 2015 as we march forward to serve every at-risk child in Chicagoland with 12 books a year from birth thru 6th grade.”

The group has drop in sessions and additional holiday hours on Tuesday, Dec. 16 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Anyone who is available that day is aked to please R.S.V.P. here.

Here is the holiday hours schedule:

Bernie’s Book Bank Processing Center is located in 28101 Ballard Drive in Lake Forest. For more information, visit www.berniesbookbank.org.