August 1, 2023
Dear Friend,
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It's been 10 days since Book Harvest’s annual Summer Block Party, and I can't stop thinking about the joy that filled the Durham Bulls Athletic Park on July 22! For three hours that day, the city of Durham truly became the City of Books!
I was blown away: more than 3,500 attendees joined us in a giant celebration of kids and books, harvesting an awe-inspiring 7,485 children's books – books to take home to read again and again and keep forever, building home libraries.
My favorite moment? When a young girl exclaimed, "This is my happy place!" while selecting new books. Moments like that: they’re priceless.
Book Harvest’s 2023 Summer Block Party was a massive team effort. From face painting and hands-on science to live magic performances and a giant word  search, our 34 community partners made sure there was something for everyone. Sixty smiling volunteers powered the event from start to finish. And, of course, everyone who came out affirmed their belief in our big dream of books for every child and support for every parent.
Our community – our very own City of Books – is unstoppable.
I hope you'll take a moment to read the 2023 Block Party Final Report here.
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With heartfelt gratitude,
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Ginger Young,
Founder and Chief Executive Officer
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P.S. Thank you for choosing Book Harvest as INDY Week's Best Kids Non-Profit in Durham County!
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P.P.S. On July 20 we celebrated the first anniversary of the Book Harvest Durham Family Space! Since it opened on July 19 2022, over 4,300 guests have visited the space and harvested 11,661 books! The Family Space was made possible thanks to a generous grant made by the PNC Foundation.
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Meet Our New Board Members!
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We are proud to welcome (l-r) George Biddle, Mallory Mbalia, and Joe Waters to the Book Harvest Board of Directors.
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These new appointments come at an exciting time for Book Harvest, as we work to expand our reach beyond our flagship community of Durham and to realize literacy equity for every child, from birth. You can read about all our Board members here.
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Words to Live By: Robert Broder
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Robert Broder is a children’s book author and founding publisher of award-winning Ripple Grove Press.
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Is there a book or genre that stands out in your memory from your youth?
What stands out for me as a child is MAD Magazine. My dad owned newsstands in NYC, and he’d come home every month with the new issue of MAD. I’d read the entire magazine to the very end with the fold-in picture on the inside back cover.
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Our August Featured Five children’s books are a nod to Book Lovers Day on August 9th. They feature some of the ways & places book lovers can access books!
You can purchase these books and have them shipped directly to Book Harvest. You might also like to have them in your home library! View purchasing options.
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Questions? Email Amy Franks, Associate Director of School and Family Engagement, at amy@bookharvest.org.
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