Local publishing company donates books to kids at free meal sites around Bellefonte

Lemont-based publisher Penny Eifrig got enough donations to provide free books to children picking up meals at drop-and-go lunch sites across Bellefonte Area School District. The goal was to provide 229 books to children during the state-ordered school closure to help foster a love a reading at a time literacy effort are encouraged and families are stuck at home.

This donation is made possible by Eifrig Publishing and its partnership with Random Acts of Reading, “so families can return with food to replenish the body and books to replenish the mind and soul,” its website said. One includes a book called "Rainchild" by former Bellefonte Area student Megan Irwin. As an 11-year-old, she won a writing contest through the publishing company. Irwin now studies at Penn State.

“Everything is turned upside down all across the globe, and families are now hunkering down at home, trying to find good ways to pass the time,” Eifrig said in a press release. "Books, reading and writing are a great way to spend your days together.”

In order to provide additional resources to families, Eifrig found ways to get her collection of children’s books to students in need.  

“My wonderful team of authors and illustrators (hope) that many families will take advantage of these opportunities to read their books for free, and we all look forward to seeing what stories the kids will create during this very challenging time,” Eifrig added. "In times when one can feel so helpless in so many matters, this is a way to do something that makes me feel empowered and feel good."

*Photos provided by teacher Amy Wilson. You may also read a feature about Eifrig's efforts in the Centre Daily Times: Eifrig's book donations

*By Brit Milazzo, public relations director, BASD