School Book Drive Benefits Success By 6

The National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) students at McLaughlin Middle Fine Arts Academy in Lake Wales recently collected 339 books as part of a week-long book drive to benefit Success By 6. Success By 6 is a community-wide children’s initiative, founded in 1995 by Carol Jenkins Barnett of Publix Super Markets Charities and spearheaded by United Way of Central Florida, that brings together resources from a partnership of private businesses, government, religious groups, educators, and health and human service organizations.

The book drive was organized in May by Arlette Schulze-Lock, a science teacher and NJHS advisor at McLaughlin. The group easily surpassed the previous high of 69 books collected during a similar book drive in 2009.

"I am very excited by the STACKS of books that my students collected for Success By 6!” said Schulze-Lock.

“Some of the donated books will be placed in Parent Lending Libraries to be borrowed and returned for years to come,” said Jodi Miller, Director for Success By 6. “Several child care homes and centers that are in need of books will also benefit. The majority of the books have been given to agencies that provide literacy support for both adults and children.”

Success By 6 is also partnering with First Book, a nonprofit organization providing brand new books to programs serving children in need, to host a Virtual Book Drive in an effort to raise at least $2,000 by Friday, May 27th.

The donations raised will help Success By 6 buy books for local kids. And the best part? Every $2.50 donated will help them get one book for a child in need.

Please join Success By 6 in ensuring that children have the books they need to be successful in school and beyond by donating today at http://supporters.firstbook.org/goto/unitedwayofcentralfl.sb6.