A local group is increasing book ownership, one-step at a time. This is a really good initiative to be a part of as it bring the love of books to a new generation. Most of the younger generation has not had the opportunity to fall in love with reading as books are deemed expensive.
Bernie’s Book Bank embarked on a 24-mile charity walk earlier this week from Chicago’s United Center to Northwestern University. Along the journey, volunteers delivered free books to students at James Ward Elementary. This walk will help younger children fall in love with reading which will also help them reduce screen time. This has been a challenge for parent since the pandemic has shut down school and public libraries will not allow crowds in.
With all this happening parents will not spend extra money on things like story time books as it is seen as an added expense on ones pay check. But Since 2009, Bernie’s Book Bank has distributed more than 19-million books to Chicagoland children. This has made and improvement with the kids staying of the streets and learning more about a magical world that books tend to provide.
It also helps to ease a lot of pressure off parents when kids are kept cooped up in a house as they are not allowed to go out and play or even go to school. Children have been suffering mentally as they are not in school and everything is online schooling. A child’s mental health is as important as their physical health. Although till 2020 the book walk was to merely provide children who couldn’t afford book with reading material these last 2 years the walk was focused on getting books to children so that they would have a magical world to escape to.
The 24-mile charity walk was started by David Kaplan of ESPN Chicago to raise awareness and funding to continue the mission.
