On the Ground in South America

Twice a year, Better World Books sends a group to visit the people and programs that benefit from literacy funds raised.  It’s a chance to see their impact firsthand, and to bring the story back to the BWB community. The next trip is about to depart – headed to South America with Worldfund where a group of BWB employees and student book drive winners will visit Peru and Chile.

You may recall last year’s international trip to Africa, which included book drive winner Audrey (see a short video about her experience). Or our January 2011 trip to Oakland with NCFL which included two librarians. Well, here is an introduction to this year’s travelers:

Chelsea Shover, Harvard Book Drive Volunteer
Jody Weseman, Cal Poly Book Drive Volunteer
Reid Platt, Operations Manager, Scanning
Carol Devorkian, Bibliographer, Antiquarian, Rare, and Collectible books
Catarina Gutierrez, Manager, Regional Manager, Library Book Acquisitions
La’Kita Anderson, Regional Manager: Campus and Library Acquisitions
Janet Stevens, Quality Assurance Specialist
Kreece Fuchs, Co-founder and VP of Operations

By way of further introduction here is some background from Chelsea:

I worked with the book drive through Harvard’s Habitat for Humanity chapter. Partnering with BWB is the best way to get the most use out of all the great books Habitat receives during student move out, from libraries, and at our donation centers around campus. I volunteered to help with the books component of our recycling program because I have always loved reading and just love being around books. As we sorted and packed the books, I imagined how they could be reused and enjoyed by new owners anywhere in the world.

-Chelsea Shover, Harvard Book Drive Volunteer

And here are a few words from Jody on how she got involved:

I held a book drive with BWB because the volunteer tourism program I coordinate for Cal Poly is in great need of funding. The cost of the trips are often too much for struggling students but I wanted to make sure students have the opportunity to explore outside their positions of privilege and give back during their academic breaks. Cal Poly’s Alternative Breaks program supplements the lessons learned in the classroom with real life experience. An example of the work done through Cal Poly’s Alternative Breaks is: tutoring children in failing school districts in New Orleans or preparing and serving meals in Harlem’s Community Kitchen.

Jody Weseman, Cal Poly Book Drive Volunteer