Toronto, ON… 

Building on existing partnerships with community organizations throughout the city, the charity’s Outreach Coordinator is packing up sanitized books, organized by age, into new plastic bags. The books are being delivered to some of Toronto’s food banks and other social service agencies to distribute. Families receive the bags of age-appropriate books when they pick up food or access health or educational services. The Book Bank is partnering with Building Roots—a food security agency—located in Moss Park, The Stop, CRC @ 40 Oaks Street, St. Michael’s health clinics, some schools from the TDSB, Hotel Radisson, Welcoming Communities Program in Scarborough and the Toronto Plaza Hotel at Jane and Finch, where many families, brand-new to Canada, spend time awaiting permanent housing. Close to 1,000 books have found their way to children since our closure on March 14.

The Children’s Book Bank is also increasing its social media presence by posting fun activities, tips and story times via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube, daily, to help keep families engaged and reading together.

Facebook: @childrensbookbankcanada

Twitter: @BookBankCanada

Instagram: @BookBankCanada

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWAOcBCAz4oZN2ZZ1jQl_rA

The Children’s Book Bank was established in 2008 and in that time has given away over 1 million gently used books to children in high-needs communities. Book ownership is a pathway to creating a more equitable society, and as such the Book Bank is committed to ensuring that all of Toronto’s children have the chance to choose and own their favourites. It’s a sustainable model for spreading the joy of reading.

Roxanne Deans
Director of Inventory, Outreach and Communications