Bernie's Book Bank collects, processes and distributes quality new and gently used children's books to significantly increase BOOK OWNERSHIP among at-risk infants, toddlers and school age children throughout Chicagoland.

We have distributed more than 2.6 MILLION books since December 2009 and now serve more than 90,000 at-risk children annually.

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Many people ask us how Bernie's Book Bank distributes books to at-risk children when school is out for the summer!  The truth is we are very busy all summer long, distributing books thru special programs, camps and local festivals in at-risk communities.

One of the organizations that we work with in the summer is Beacon Place.

Located in Waukegan, this organization works to help families that qualify for free and reduced lunches at school throughout the year. When summer break starts, meals at school end and hunger begins for many children living in poverty.  Throughout the summer, Beacon Place's Lunch Bunch program offers children lunch and day camp activities two days per week at the Beacon Place Community Center.

We have already visited Beacon Place twice this summer to provide books to the children they serve.  It's a great partnership - feeding bodies and minds!

Click here to learn more about BEACON PLACE. 

In June, we distributed thousands of books at the �Vive tu Vida! Get Up! Get Moving! festival held by the Chicago Hispanic Health Coalition.  Radio Disney was on hand to add to the celebration and children left with a bag of 12 quality books each.

This weekend, we will attend The Taste of WVON on the south side of Chicago, where upwards of 10,000 people will attend.   Bernie's Book Bank Volunteers will be on hand to help children select books to take home and encourage children to read all summer long to help prevent "summer slide."

Summer slide is the term many educators and policymakers use to describe what happens to children when they are not focused on educational activities for the three months of summer.

Literacy experts agree that children who read during the summer gain reading skills, while those who do not often "slide" backward and start the school year off having to "catch up."

A problem that all children face, it is especially difficult for children who don't have access to books to prevent summer slide.  We are honored to be able to help get books to children who need them - ALL YEAR ROUND!