Books and Blankets Warming The Winter for City Students

If you visited one of six Rochester city schools in December 2007 when 1900 books and blankets were being delivered to the youngest children, you saw the results of this campaign. Volunteers from city and suburbs -- some adults, some high school students -- reading a new book to a small child who was wrapped in a soft fleece blanket. Few children could resist draping the blanket over their shoulders, or putting their heads down on the blanket to feel the soft warmth of the material while they listened to their book being read aloud.

Most of the books and blanket packages were distributed to city students the week before the holiday break, but another 115 books were scheduled to be delivered on Valentine's Day, Feb. 14th. The

Books and Blankets program was created two years ago by Buddies, Bridges and Brains, a terrific organization that supports a partnership between the town of Victor and School 22 in Rochester. Last year, the group donated 900 books and blankets.

This year we were happy to play a role as a co-sponsor in helping the program more than double its reach. Books and blankets were donated from as far away as Corning. This effort is supported by a Civic Engagement grant from the Rochester Area Community Foundation and by the John F. Wegman Fund.

Get Involved

If you are interested in getting involved for the 2008 drive, please contact Karen Guidarelli at karen@rochestereducation.org. We will happily accept contributions of new books, books purchased on our website, and funds to buy books for the project. Please specify "Books and Blankets" when you donate. We also welcome donations of fleece.

To donate books and blankets:

• Donate a book of your choice on the Give Back, Give Books website
• Donate fleece material (contact us via e-mail, at bookandblanket@buddiesbridgesbrains.org)
• Donate ribbon (contact us via e-mail, at bookandblanket@buddiesbridgesbrains.org)

Learn More

For more information about the Book and Blankets program, please call us at 271‑5790 or contact us via e-mail at info@rochestereducation.org.

REF and Buddies, Bridges and Brains are also working together to support the KidBridge partnership. Click here to learn more.