Giving back with books

Siblings Shannon, Brady and Casey Bender, all avid readers, wanted to help recycle no-longer needed picture and board books and help them get to children who could use them. They decided to organize a book drive for picture, preschool and baby books.

Through Facebook, word-of-mouth and fliers, the Bender children collected more than 600 gently-used preschool books during the last week of July. They cleaned, assembled and wrapped with festive ribbon more than 100 bundles of books. The book bundles were delivered schools in Rockville Centre and Queens.

Although their preschool book drive is over, donations of gently-used elementary-level chapter books (no preschool) are accepted on an ongoing basis for The Wilson School PTA Achievers Used Book Sales. Email benderalanna@gmail or call 697-6383 for donation drop-off information.

Books of any level (from baby to adult books) are also accepted year-round at The Book Fairies, 70 N Main Street, Freeport, www.bookfairies.org or call 557-6645. The Book Fairies is a non-profit organization that accepts gently-used book donations and matches and delivers them to schools and places in need of books.