A Toronto book store is fostering the love of literature among children whose families don’t always have money to buy them books.
“Often times, when you’re living paycheque to paycheque, books just don’t make the cut,” said Lindsay Timmins, directors of operations at the Children’s Book Bank.
The Regent Park bookstore relies on donations from the community. Each year, the Children’s Book Bank hands out 100,000 books to children in need.
Timmins said the book bank’s goal is to foster a love of learning and reading.
“I’ve had wonderful encounters with kids who have received their first book at the age of eight, who hug the book as their leaving like it’s their new pet,” she said.
Now, the book bank is asking for the community’s support. During February, the organizers of an annual book drive for underprivileged children are working with the book bank to make sure they can keep providing free books to kids who need them.
“My friend started the initiative a few years ago in Vancouver…and I thought it was really wonderful,” said Lana Gay from A Good Book Drive.
Residents are being asked to buy a new copy of their favourite children’s book, write why it’s their favourite on the inside cover and donate it to A Good Book Drive so that it can be passed along to children in the community.
- Children’s books can be donated at nine locations across the city:
- The Children’s Book Bank - 350 Berkeley Street
- The Scullery - 200 Carlton Street
- Tiny Record Shop - 804 Queen Street East
- Dark Horse Espresso - 630 Queen Street East
- Love Me Do - 50 Lynn Williams Street
- Type Books - 883 Queen Street West
- Indie88 - 20 Hanna Avenue
- Betty’s - 240 King St. East
- Analogue Gallery - 673 Queen Street West
- Doll Factory my Damzels - 394 Roncesvalles Ave & 1122 Queen Street East
- Reunion Island Coffee Bar - 385 Roncesvalles Ave
- Town Barber - 1114 Dundas Street West
- Ella Minnow - 991 Kingston Road
- Capital Espresso -1349 Queen Street West
With a report from CTV Toronto’s Naomi Parness
