Jacqueline Kennedy said, “There are many little ways to enlarge your child’s world. Love of books is the best of all.” The love of reading can be instilled from a very early age by exposing children to a wide variety of interesting and engaging reading materials. Encouraging children to read or reading to them everyday can literally change the course of their lives. Reading boosts self worth, improves communication skills, and prepares children for future independence and socio-economic success. According to the National Adult Literacy Survey, children who have not developed some basic literacy skills by the time they enter school are 3 – 4 times more likely to drop out in later years. 

It is estimated that over one million high school drop outs each year cost the nation over $240 billion in lost earnings, forgone tax revenues, and expenditures for social services. The ability to read and write is one of the most important skills anyone can attain in order to “achieve their goals, to develop their knowledge and potential, and to participate fully in their community and wider society,” according to UNESCO (The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization). Unfortunately, more than 20 percent of adults read at or below a fifth-grade level – far below the level needed to earn a living wage.

 It’s clear that literacy affects everyone in our society.

When you donate a book to Goodwill, you offer someone the chance to expand their mind and their world. You also do right by the planet, diverting used books from landfills in addition to saving the paper, ink and production waste used in the printing of new books. When you buy a book from Goodwill, you are supporting our mission to find employment for disabled and vocationally challenged individuals. What amazing powers a simple book has when put in the right hands, or, any hands for that matter!

Together, we can help change the literacy statistics. Thanks to generous donations, Goodwill offers exceptional values on a large selection of gently used books in all genres. We urge you to open a book, donate a book, read to a child or give a book as a gift. Abraham Lincoln said, “The things I want to know are in books; my best friend is the man who’ll get me a book I ain’t read.”

Check out our Amazon GSC Online Bookstore or, shop at a GSC Bookstore location near you.