Give Back, Give Books

Give Back, Give Books gives books to city school students to take home or for city school libraries. Launched in 2006, we accept and distribute new
books, encourage exciting literacy events with book distributions, and engage community members. We have collected and distributed more than 42,000 new books to city students and to city school libraries.

REF distributes most of the books through our Teachers' Choice application process. We offer new books to Rochester City School District educators serving city students.

\We congratulate the 41 educators who received books for their students through the Teachers' Choice program this school year.

Click here for the list of 2017-18 recipients

Teachers' Choice applicants can apply for up to 200 new books from REF's collection or 100 special order books to be used in projects supporting literacy such as student book clubs, parent-child reading events and other activities or events. Most books donated for teacher projects are required to be given to students for their home libraries by the end of the school year. Educators can choose to keep a class set.

Students and teachers have responded enthusiastically. As a teacher directing a high school student book club at lunchtime noted: "They were very excited to see what books were available, especially those in a series ... They used each other as resources and engaged in conversation about the books."

We accept new books and the funds to buy more books. REF encourages companies and organizations to conduct drives for new books. Book drives for Give Back, Give Books have been conducted by M&T Bank, Kodak's Corporate Business Research Division, the University Health Service of the University of Rochester, St. John Fisher College and Empire Justice Center.

Sound interesting? We'll be happy to work with you on a book or fundraising campaign of your own to encourage this positive support of student reading.

We'll give the books away or we will work with your group, class or business if you would like to give the books personally to students at a city school.

Did you know that...

• Many city school students do not have books at home.
• The average fiction book in city school libraries was about 20 years old when we started our program a decade ago.
• Providing books to children and school libraries is a proven way to help students become more successful academically and in the future.

Support the Program

Use the button at right to make a donation in support of REF and Give Back, Give Books.

Teachers' Choice is supported by REF's donors and by grants from the Ames Amzalak Charitable Foundation, the Gannett Foundation, the Greater Rochester Health Foundation, Gretchen's Kids Inc., and in-kind support from donors including Church Women United and First Book.

Help us make a difference.

Would you like to:

• launch a drive in your school, business or organization?
• learn where to buy or drop off books locally?
• support the campaign with a donation?

You'll find all that and more on the Give Back, Give Books website:
     http://www.givebackgivebooks.org