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BooksFirst! is built on its strong, engaged volunteer community. Everyone at all levels of the organization—from BookDrive! hosts to the board of directors—is a volunteer. Because no one is paid for the work they do, BooksFirst! is able to keep its overhead costs extremely low and ensure that donations and resources go directly to benefit teachers and students.
There is always a need for new volunteers, and there are many ways to get involved in the organization, no matter what part of the country you live in and no matter how much time you have available. Below are three of the main ways volunteers become involved with the organization. For even more information about volunteering, you can review our volunteer information packet.
Host a BookDrive! or Fundraiser
Hosting a book drive or fundraiser is a wonderful way to engage with your own community and make a real and immediate impact on children in an under-resourced part of the country. Volunteering in this way is a short-term commitment, and allows you to work with a group you are already part of in your own part of the country.
To learn more about hosting a BookDrive!, follow this link and take a look at our step-by-step guidebook. Our national support team will help you each step of the way.
To learn more about hosting a fundraiser, please email Bryan Wright at bryan.wright@booksfirst.org.
Join or start a regional chapter
In a growing number of regions across the country, BooksFirst! is working to start and expand regional chapters. These chapters form the backbone of our book distribution efforts. Our regional chapter leaders and volunteers receive and distribute books collected across the country. And, they operate BooksFirst! in miniature within their region: Collecting and distributing books from and to the local community; hosting local fundraisers and events; building strong relationships with each other and with community organizations. If you’re looking for a way to help grow BooksFirst! and would prefer to work with other people in your area, joining or starting a regional chapter is for you.
To join or express interest in starting a regional chapter, please review the volunteer information packet and fill out our online application.
BooksFirst! currently has active regional chapters in Southeast Pennsylvania, San Diego, CA, and the Rio Grande area of Texas. A new chapter is currently organizing in the greater Washington, DC, area. To volunteer with one of these regional chapters, contact the following Regional Chapter Leaders:
San Diego, CA, Samantha Thomas, samantha.thomas@booksfirst.org
Southeast Pennsylvania, Jessica Moore, jessica.moore@booksfirst.org
Texas, Rio Grande region, Maureen Suhendra, maureen.suhendra@booksfirst.org
Washington, DC/Northern Virginia, Tina Getachew, tina.getachew@booksfirst.org
If you are interested in forming a chapter in your area, please email Bryan Wright at bryan.wright@booksfirst.org.
Join our national support and management team
If you’re looking for a longer-term commitment and want to be a part of the day to day operations of BooksFirst!, there are a number of opportunities to join our national team, ranging from working with our book collection committee to recruit and support book drive hosts, to fundraising, to our national communication and outreach efforts.
All our national volunteers operate "virtually." Since BooksFirst! operates across the country, and since volunteers live in California, Idaho, Pennsylvania, and everywhere in between, much of the interaction between volunteers happens by email, phone and web. The enthusiasm and proactive energy of our volunteer leadership ensures strong committees and wonderful relationships between volunteers. So, no matter where you live, you can help BooksFirst! run efficiently.
To join our national team, please review the volunteer information packet and fill out our online application.
If you have any questions, please email Bryan Wright at bryan.wright@booksfirst.org.
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