Five thousand books might seem like a heavy load, but volunteers in the Sewanhaka school district had little trouble handling it.
It only took three hours for 20 Sewanhaka teachers and 60 students to hand out that many books to families who wouldn’t be able to afford them at a Dec. 12 event at Elmont Memorial High School.
“As educators, we influence our students every day in the classroom and when we are able to reach out and affect the community in this way it’s very special indeed,” said Rosanne Mamo, president of the Sewanhaka Federation of Teachers, in a statement.
The Sewanhaka teachers’ union partnered with New York State United Teachers and the American Federation of Teachers for the giveaway, known as a “First Book Truckload Challenge,” a program that aims to give schools and families in low-income areas access to books.
To become eligible for the giveaway, about 300 Sewanhaka teachers and staff registered with First Book, the non-profit group affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers that runs the program.
The organization provided books ranging in reading levels from kindergarten through 12th grade.
The teachers and student volunteers, many of whom came from Elmont Memorial’s Key Club, sorted the books and arranged them on tables, then guided more than 500 people from around the district through the display.
Each person who signed in for the giveaway could take up to five books and other giveaway items.
Mamo said the areas around Elmont and Sewanhaka High Schools have the highest percentage of families who need assistance. Leftover books were donated to Elmont non-profits Anna House, Gateway Youth Outreach and Martin de Porres School.
“It was motivating and heartwarming to see children of all ages with their parents selecting books for themselves or as gifts for the holidays,” Mamo said in a statement.
This was the first time Sewanhaka teachers participated in the First Book program. NYSUT started its partnership with the organization in 2014.
Through the “Truckload Challenge,” school districts that sign up at least 2,000 parents, teachers and other community members become eligible to receive a full truckload of 40,000 books to distribute.
Mamo said the Sewanhaka Federation of Teachers plans to partner with Sewanhaka’s component elementary school districts to collect the 2,000 names and distribute a truckload to “the entire Sewanhaka community.”
