THE BOOK BANK MODEL

Through the African Library Project, we donated approximately 1,000 books for elementary school students by partnering with an organization in Kenya. To do so, we gathered used books from library sales and local donations in order to meet our 1,000 book goal. Ultimately, we sent 16 boxes of books that would eventually be shipped to Kenya.

What started as a book fundraiser for Think College Now Elementary School in Oakland two years ago has now transformed into a family support organization. Book Bank has now pivoted to also donating PE equipment, face masks, and even basic groceries. We have organized fundraisers and helped donate over 2,000 books and dozens of jump ropes and soccer balls, and monthly donations of $1,000 grocery gift cards to five student families suffering extreme financial hardship. It has been a hugely terrifying, eye-opening, yet rewarding experience working hand-in-hand with children whom we have come to deeply care for in our local community.

Our students made face masks to donate to one of the elderly nursing homes. As a group, we made 300-500 masks. We watched YouTube videos and went online to purchase the materials. We coordinated with a senior center in order to deliver the face masks to them. This was one of the elderly nursing homes where there were some infected seniors. They were very happy to receive PPE from us, as they can now safely prevent everybody else from becoming ill.

From January to May, Book Bank hosted ten book drives at schools all around the Bay Area to collect over 3,000 books for three underfunded Oakland schools: Korematsu Discovery Academy, Sankofa Academy, and Think College Now.

Book Bank co-organized a charity concert and used its proceeds to buy braille books for the Vista Center. Several hundred books from book drives here and there were given to the East Palo Alto library for low-income students returning to school.