United Way Helps Establish Petersburg's First Book Bank

Children from birth through fifth grade who live in the Tri-Cities region will benefit from the new Southside Regional Children’s Book Bank.

Staffed and run by volunteers, the book bank was coordinated by the Petersburg City of Readers leadership committee. This partnership includes United Way of Greater Richmond & Petersburg, Salvation Army Tri-Cities Service Center, the Petersburg Public Library and Virginia State University.

The book bank -- Petersburg's first -- opened in October with the donation of 2,000 books from Star De Perez (center right in photo), a high school freshman who lives in Colonial Heights.  Her love for books and reading was the catalyst that inspired her to share books with other children as her Girl Scout Silver Award project.

The book bank will be open to accept donations and to distribute books on the second and fourth Fridays of each month, from 3-4 p.m. Nonprofits, schools, childcare centers, faith-based organizations, and civic organizations may request up to 150 books each.

Please contact Patricia Hines at (804) 926-0495 or Wayne Crocker at (804) 733-2387 for more information on how you can volunteer, donate or advocate for literacy.