Books in the Community

BOOKS IN THE COMMUNITY

During the pandemic, RIF of NOVA began collecting new and (very) gently used books from the Northern Virginia community with the goal to provide more books to children who had no access to schools or libraries. The program has been so successful that we have begun to share our donated books (along with some new ones!) not only with our existing network of 37 schools and sites, but also with local organizations that would like to provide books to the children they serve. Below, please find photos from some of the community events where RIF of NOVA has provided books. If you are a non-profit organization needing books for the children in your programs, we will try to help. Click here for information about how to GET BOOKS!

Culmore Community Day -- May 6, 2023

Fairfax County's Woodrow Wilson Library hosted Culmore Community Day, complete with music, dancing, access to community resources, and BOOKS for children! On a beautiful Saturday, kids were able to choose books of their very own, with all books provided from the NOVA RIF gently used book program. The excitement was palpable, especially when Clifford got into the act. That big red dog just put on the smiles!

Special thanks to Marley Grace Clift (l) and Carrie Cimino for volunteering to play Clifford!

*********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Books Around Town!

Moms for Moms: Maternal Mental Health Matters

Dr. Aimee Danielson’s practice focuses on moms who are struggling with post-partum depression. At an event to raise funds and awareness of this important issue, she showed off one of a collection of books supplied by NOVA RIF. The books will help support a clinic at Medstar Georgetown.

"Summers in Seven Corners"
Block Party

RIF of NOVA books were part of a block party celebration at Seven Corners on May 20, along with food giveaways, folk dancing, and activities for kids!

ECHO -- Ecumenical Community Helping Others

ECHO is an all-volunteer nonprofit that gives food and financial help to people with short-term emergencies. Volunteer Tom P unloaded a NOVA RIF donation of 75 books for middle and high school students to help with their summer reading.

Kids & Family Expo, April 15, 2023

NOVA RIF provided over 200 books for children who attended the Kids & Family Expo at the David R. Pinn Community Center in Fairfax. The Lorton Volunteer Fire Department provided some outside excitement, while inside, children could pick up balloon creations, listen to several authors reading, and choose a few books of their very own!

Arlington Food Assistance Center -- November 5, 2022

RIF of NOVA shared gently used books during a food distribution at AFAC, the Arlington Food Assistance Center. Children and parents alike were delighted to choose books, along with healthy meals. Alex Pomper, NOVA RIF Young Ambassador, started the collaboration via his own book website: giveakidabook.org. Pomper is shown in the gray T-shirt with his mom, Anne Kim (m), and NOVA RIF board member Sari Warren.

Vecinos Unidos -- October 2022

In October 2022, with a donation from Reading is Fundamental (RIF) of Northern Virginia, Vecinos Unidos was able to provide a gift of brand new books for each child in the program. Our children received two books each (their choice!) and took them home to keep. Wrote the VU director: "The children were ecstatic! We heard cries of “wow!” and watched one of our second-graders clean his hands before picking up his brand-new books." See the full blog about this book donation by clicking here.

Falls Church McLean Children's Center's Fall Festival -- October 7, 2022

The Falls Church McLean Children's Center (FCMLCC) held its Fall Festival with a hay maze, crafts, a food truck, and books for children contributed by NOVA RIF! As an invited participant, NOVA RIF was delighted to share some of our donated, like-new books with deserving children and families!

Groveton Elementary Resource Fair -- August 13, 2022

Groveton Elementary School held its annual back-to-school Resource Fair in August, and RIF of NOVA books were a major part of the fun! A thousand books -- contributed by the NOVA RIF community of book donors -- were displayed in the gym, where students and their families could choose several books each to start a home library. Special thanks to fair organizer, Assistant Principal Françoise Casablanca, along with librarian and NOVA RIF liaison Eileen Findlay, special assistant Priscilla Karau, and a team of teachers and specialists for organizing the books into a display to rival all others! What an amazing success...as these images show!

Credit -- Michael Greene

Popsicles in the Park -- July and August 2022

What could be better than a popsicle and a book to read to add to summer's fun! RIF of NOVA joined forces with Carlin Springs Elementary School's Popsicles in the Park program for four summer reading celebrations. Along with popsicles and books to choose, Carlin Springs teachers read entertaining books to the gathering of children and their families. Special thanks to Carlin Springs librarian and NOVA RIF liaison Holly Nisco and Community School Coordinator Carol Sabatino and their colleagues for partnering together for this novel way to provide books for children over the summer.

Culmore Community Day -- April 23, 2022

Culmore Community Day took place at Fairfax County's Woodrow Wilson Library. Eight hundred books, plus lollipops and bookmarks, went into the hands of children -- who were delighted to start their at-home libraries with such great opportunities to read. The books ranged from board books for the little ones to YA books for teens, and everything in between for kids interested in everything from dragons to magic to character stories. And fun? Had by all. Just take a look!