Nonprofit profile: Bridge of Books Foundation, celebrating providing 1 million books to underserved children in N.J.

In brief

Location: Holmdel
Serving: All of New Jersey
Key members: Abby Daly, founder and executive director, and the board.

Origin

Bridge of Books Foundation was originally started in San Francisco by Tricia McCarthy. Her friend, Abby Daly, brought the organization to New Jersey in 2003. Shortly after that, the San Francisco chapter ceased operations and Daly took over leadership of the organization. 

As a former attorney in New Jersey, Daly spent many years pursuing children’s rights cases, first for the Office of the Public Defender and then for the Office of the Attorney General. For the past decade, she has been 100% focused on promoting children’s literacy as executive director of Bridge of Books Foundation. Since its founding, the all-volunteer organization has facilitated the distribution of more than 1 million books to underserved children across New Jersey, both directly and through the agencies that serve them.

Goals

To grow our network of corporate partners and evaluate launch of a mobile operation that will combine several nonprofit, community-minded programs to provide resources and services to meet the needs of underserved children and families throughout New Jersey.

Mission

The mission of Bridge of Books Foundation is to support the development of literacy and encourage a love of reading by distributing books to underserved children throughout New Jersey.

Fundraising

Mainly through corporate and private donations and public/private grants.

Programs

Bridge of Books Foundation partners with corporate and individual volunteers, community groups, schools, book publishers and other like-minded organizations to collect, sort and distribute tens of thousands of new and gently used books each year. We collect books through book drives, individual donations, publisher overstocks and corporate donors. Books are then distributed through various agencies, community events, schools and other venues.

Benefactors

Bridge of Books Foundation is supported by a diverse mix of volunteers and donors, including corporations, families, schools, other nonprofits and like-minded organizations. Some of our top supporters include the UPS Store, Scholastic Book Fairs and NorthSouth Books.

Achievements

  • To commemorate the UPS Store 10th anniversary of the Toys for Tots Literacy Program, Bridge of Books was recently selected as one of the 10 national recipients of a $100,000 Book Giveaway. Along with nine other recipient nonprofits and schools in the country, Bridge of Books received $10,000 worth of books from Scholastic, the global children’s publishing, education and media company.
  • In 2018, Bridge of Books Foundation celebrated the donation of its 1 millionth book. These donated books have helped hundreds of thousands of children throughout all of New Jersey’s 21 counties make books a consistent part of their environment.

Finally

Each March, Bridge of Books Foundation works with various school districts and volunteers to hold reading events as part of the National Education Association’s Read Across America Day in honor of Dr. Seuss’ birthday.

Conversation Starter

Bridge of Books Foundation needs help to get age-appropriate books into the hands of underserved children to support the development of literacy skills and encourage their love of reading. Call 732-291-4755 or email info@bridgeofbooksfoundation.org to schedule a corporate book donation or sorting event.