The Sojourner Family Peace Center just received more than 500 books from the Public Relations Society of America. These books will go into the center's Little Free Library on, 7th and Galena, for any child to enjoy.
While kids in the area, like two-year-old Kadeen Reed, appreciate the library because it's very close to his house. Families coming to the center, who experience domestic abuse, can let their children take solace in a new book.
Joy Reed is Kadeen's grandmother and was impressed with the selection of books offered.
"Now he'll be bringing me across the street 'Nana, Nana, let's go get the books.' So I think it's good and I'm going to spread the word that it's out here. I don't think everyone knows," said Reed.
The reading material ranged from books like Baby Einstein's First Words to Dr. Seuss' Hop on Pop and Clifford the Big Red Dog. The PR's Community Services Chair, Katy Glodosky, says Wisconsin's chapter of nearly 160 people donated over 500 books to make sure nearly every child gets a chance to enjoy a good book.
"It feels amazing to contribute back to this community and especially this block. Where we know that the kids that are experiencing some tough times are going to get to benefit from the joy of reading," says Glodosky.
Center President and CEO Carmen Pitre says she's an avid reader and is overjoyed to see so many books. Hearing that the library has consistently stayed fairly empty, she smiles, because the community is reading. She plans to personally donate more books.
Pitre says she's proud of the two girl scouts from Troop #8552, Olivia and Khadijah, who fashioned the box after the center. Everything from the colors, symbol, even a quote by Sojourner Truth, really connect the center to the box and the community.
"We put it intentionally here. So, people in the neighborhood would have access to the books," said Pitre.
Neighbors Dewitt Brown and Sylvia James are just happy to have something in their neighborhood that supports education, as well as, giving children books of their own
The Little Free Library is free for everyone to take a book, or two. The library also takes books that children may not want anymore.
