Spreading Kindness: Providing Book Access to Youth by Planting Book-Sharing Boxes in the Community
Little Free Library is a nonprofit organization that provides book access to youth by planting book-sharing boxes across underprivileged communities. Today, Sarina Fazan is joined by financial advisor Marc Marino, his wife Maggie, and his son Leo, as well as Meg Britten, a former elementary school teacher that turned her love for art into a career, along with her three children. Today they are at Swann Circle Park and have teamed up to bring in new additions of book-sharing boxes to their community.
Sarina Fazan next to a book-sharing box
“The box, in my opinion, gets used,” says Marc. Every one that we put in, we fill them up, the kids love them; they use them and you can’t ask more than that.”
He continues, “They’re not sitting there on tablets; they’re not playing on phones; they’re reading books, and I think that’s the main reason.”
Book access is limited in some communities and these boxes help to promote reading among the youth.
Sarina Fazan, Marc Marino, his wife Maggie Marino, his son Leo, and Meg Britten with her three children
“Instead of watching TV we’re reading books together and we’re growing together and I see a huge difference in his reading,” says Maggie.
Maggie enjoys the time spent reading with her son and believes that it has been a beneficial learning tool.
On top of that, the two families who made this wonderful project happen added their own touch by filling the box with their favorite books and showcasing the talent of artists just like Meg. Her own artwork is displayed on the box featured in this video at Swann Circle Park.
A book-sharing box decorated by Meg Britten
“I am a teacher by trade so this was kind of a cool project for me,” says Meg. “I have been doing artwork professionally for the last few years after I left the classroom.”
Art programs are often underappreciated as they receive a lack of funding within school systems. Hence, these boxes help to shed light on the importance of art and literacy within education.
“Art, music, PE, all of the specials have a lot of latent functions in children’s brain development,” says Meg. “You're developing your fine motor skills; you’re developing your creativity; you’re developing all of these critical thinking imaginative problem-solving skills.”
She continues, “I think it’s kind of overlooked sometimes how many extraordinary really important things come from the specials.”
They are all so delighted to make the mission of Little Free Library come to life. And you can too by becoming an advocate of book access for youth.
To learn more about Little Free Library visit their website.
For artists looking to decorate a book-sharing box, you can contact Marc Marino on Facebook or Instagram
You can support Meg Britten by visiting her Instagram page.