Spreading Goodwill Through Books

About the Program

Category: Children and Youth (Best in Category)

Year: 2018

In April 2017, Henrico County Public Schools (HCPS) Department of Library Services, and Goodwill of Central and Coastal Virginia established a partnership to supply books to the students and families of Henrico County, Virginia. Goodwill’s Central Virginia support center, located in Richmond, processes around a million donated books a week, most of which end up being recycled. In spring 2017, Goodwill staff members contacted Henrico County Public Schools after seeing a news story about the school division’s request for book donations. HCPS asked for donations of new and gently used books to schools to support the division’s new “Reading and Writing Across the Curriculum Challenge” in secondary schools. HCPS Library Services has coordinated a weekly opportunity for HCPS staff members to attend Goodwill and choose free books for school use. As of Jan. 31, 2018, more than 40,000 books have been reclaimed and distributed to Henrico County students and families as a result of the “Spreading Goodwill Through Books” initiative.