At-risk preschool and elementary school students across Greater Hartford will have brand new books to call their very own thanks to the successful 2016 Greater Hartford Holiday Book Drive. This year’s drive collected more than 1,500 new and used books and nearly $1,000 in monetary donations. New book donations will be given to students in Children’s Reading Partners’ literacy programs at the end of the school year. Used books will be donated to their school libraries, and financial contributions will be used to buy additional new books for students.

The annual Holiday Book Drive is a joint effort of the Children’s Reading Partners, a volunteer literacy program of the Jewish Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford, and the West Hartford Rotary Club. Drop-off locations included West Hatford’s Congregation Beth Israel, Beth El Temple, the Mandell JCC Early Childhood Center and Keller Williams Realty.

“We’re thrilled that so many local children will benefit from this year’s drive,” said Bennett Forrest of Keller Williams Realty, who led the effort. “Reading at home reinforces the literacy skills that kids learn at school; it makes a huge difference in their academic development.”

CAP: Bennett Forrest, organizer of the 2016 Greater Hartford Holiday Book Drive, shows off some of the 1,500-plus books collected as part of the Greater Hartford Holiday Book Drive.