Member Spotlight: Kristen Daniels Executive Director, Bernie’s Book Bank
Lake/Forest Lake Bluff Chamber: Tell us a little bit about Bernie’s Book Bank and the important work your organization does?
Kristen Daniels: Located in Lake Bluff, Bernie’s Book Bank is a local nonprofit organization that provides free quality books for local children, ages birth through sixth grade, to build personal libraries. Our organization sources, processes, and distributes eight books annually to children at Title 1 schools and early childhood programs.
Reading is the single most important skill a child needs. Yet many children lack access to books, especially books of their own. That’s why Bernie’s Book Bank works so hard to provide free quality books to children in our local areas to build their own personal libraries.
Our purpose is simple: Enable positive life experiences through books and book ownership. We envision a future where every child has equal access to books and the opportunities they inspire.
We focus on communities where children are the least likely to have access to books of their own and deliver the age-appropriate, high-interest, and culturally relevant books children deserve.
Working together with our partners, volunteers, and supporters, we are transforming the educational journey of thousands of children by providing them with the tools they need to become successful readers.
LF/LB: What was the inspiration to start Bernie’s Book Bank?
KD: Bernie’s Book Bank is named for Dr. Bernard P. Floriani, the father of the Founder Brian Floriani. Bernie was the son of an immigrant coal miner. He grew up in a house without running water until he went to college on a basketball scholarship. He may not have had much, but he did have access to books and the opportunity for education. Bernie achieved a bachelor’s a master’s, and a doctorate degree in reading education. He spent his entire professional life promoting literacy and is an inspiration to our organization.
In 2005, after the sudden deaths of his father and grandmother, Brian was inspired to do something different with his life. After tutoring students in reading and realizing many did not have access to books, Brian founded Bernie’s Book Bank in 2009 to combat this growing problem.
Starting small in his garage, Brian began to collect and redistribute books to children. In his first 12 months, Bernie’s Book Bank collected, processed, and distributed 140,000 children’s books. This year we surpassed 27 million children’s books.
LF/LB: What is your vision or hope for the future of Bernie’s Book Bank?
KD: Understanding the importance of book ownership and the impact we have in Chicagoland; we envision a future where every child has equal access to books and the opportunities they inspire! This past year we expanded to the Greater Milwaukee Area serving sixty schools. We are continuing to dream big, and aspire to serve every child across America, extending our mission to other cities and becoming a national organization.
LF/LB: Bernie’s Book Bank is in the business of giving back and supporting the greater community. How might others get involved and support your organization?
KD: Great question, there are numerous ways to get involved. Whether you want to engage from an individual or family level or are interested in corporate opportunities. Here are three simple ways to get involved:
- Volunteer Your Time: Over 1,900 individuals volunteer in our processing center each month. In one single session, a volunteer completes enough work to provide 15 children with free books for the year. We have numerous volunteer activities, from stickering and sorting, to stacking and bagging. All ages are welcome and encouraged to join us. We host three volunteer sessions Monday-Saturday. To volunteer or learn more please visit - berniesbookbank.org/volunteer
- Attend or Sponsor an Event: Bernie’s Book Bank hosts numerous fundraising events throughout the year from Birdies and Books, our signature golf outing, and Book Lovers’ Lunch, a luncheon with a celebrated author, to our newest event, Booksgiving. New this year, Booksgiving is a family-friendly day of giving filled with booktivities, music, and volunteering held on Saturday, November 16, 2024. Step into a world of wonder as we celebrate an extraordinarily delightful volunteering event inspired by the beloved classic, "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory." Golden tickets and sponsorships are available for purchase at berniesbookbank.org/events/booksgiving. We hope to see you there!
- Invest in Book Ownership or Become a Corporate Partner: A gift as simple as $20 provides 10 free quality children’s books. Our monthly giving program, Page Turners, gives you an opportunity to play an important role in transforming children’s stories every month. Your gift, regardless of size, is impactful and enables us to continue to grow our mission. You can make your gift by visiting berniesbookbank.org. From a corporate perspective, we are blessed to have both national and local partners who are actively engaged in furthering our mission. If you are interested in learning more about our corporate partners please reach out – kdaniels@berniesbookbank.org / 847-971-3516
And of course, help spread the word. Follow @berniesbookbank on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn and stay tuned for updates, events, and ways to get involved. Every share, comment, and like helps us reach more people and spread the mission of Bernie’s Book Bank.
LF/LB: Is there anything else you would like to share about your Bernie’s Book Bank?
KD: Our work at Bernie’s Book Bank reaches over 315,000 local children and counting. We are passionate about what we do and hope you join us!
