Update on the Migrant Children's Book Drive

Dear Friends,

I want to close out the year here on MommyMaestra with a sincere thank you and update regarding the Migrant Children's Book Drive. Back in June, I was feeling helpless and angry about the situation along our border. Thinking about the children made me ill - and it still does. Then, I saw one piece of good news on TV. After watching the segment about how Save the Children was helping the lovely people of Deming, New Mexico, to run a humanitarian shelter to help the people (many of the families, and over half of them children) who were being released from the detention centers.

I asked Save the Children if they needed Spanish-language books for the children, and when they said yes, I decided to host a book drive to get as many books as possible. I reached out to all of you here on MommyMaestra and on social media. I wrote emails to authors and publishers. And the books just started coming and coming and coming.

The notes that many of you included were so heartfelt and moving. It was very emotional. And I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart for your kindness and willingness to join me in trying to do something nice for these families. To lighten their young spirits, if only for a short while... but maybe longer.

The books were used inside the Child-Friendly Spaces and Mother/Baby Areas that Save the Children managed inside the shelters in Deming and Las Cruces, NM. But in addition, we sent more books so that the children passing through could take one with them on their journeys.

And then I learned about the wonderful work that REFORMA's Children in Crisis Task Force was doing along the border here in Texas and also in California. So any books that came in that were not approved by Save the Children, were shipped to them, too.

In all, we have sent around 3,000 children's books - mostly Spanish, but some in English and some bilingual - to these two programs. We've stopped collecting books, mainly because fewer families are coming across (due to changes in Mexico's handling of the situation) and fewer are being released. (Please note that there are children who have been separated from their families who are still being imprisoned in the horrid camps.)

But I wanted to share one last thing with you. I received this email a couple of days ago from Carolyn Miles, the Chief Executive Officer at Save the Children. This is really meant for all of you in the MommyMaestra community who gave so generously to the book drive.

You have made a difference. 

And I want you to know that as the year closes, and carry that feeling with you into the next decade.

Muchisimas gracias! You are all wonderful human beings.

Click on the image of the letter below to make it bigger so you can read it easily.

Creating "Go Packs" for Migrant Children

One of the most wonderful things that I've noticed about our Migrant Children's Book Drive is how many people are saying thank you. Most of the packages arriving from caring people who have ordered books from our recommended titles Amazon List include a section where the sender can write a note on their gift receipt.

I read each note when I open the packages. Over and over again, I see the words "Thank you so much for letting us help." And it has really made it clear how people don't just want to give money to a worthy cause (though I have NO DOUBT that money is needed to help these families with legal fees, medical fees, etc.), but they want to give someTHING that is going to directly impact these families, specifically the children.

We have all felt helpless about the crisis along the border and the horrid camps where children are being kept in the worst conditions imaginable. It seems like there's so little we can do other than protest, call our politicians, or put pressure on the companies funding these private prisons.

So, I think that is why the book drive has been so successful.

And yet even so, people are still messaging me or leaving comments asking, "How can I do more?"

That's why I wanted to share another possibility. I've been working with Save the Children on the book drive. And yesterday, they sent me this flyer describing another way people can help.

Remember, these children and their families have already been in a detention center. They've been released and are now free and legal to move about the country to travel to their sponsor family, with whom they will stay until their court hearing in which their appeal for asylum will be heard.

Go Packs are small bags with activities, nourishment, and comfort that the children can take with them as they leave the shelter and Save the Children and travel to their sponsor families.

Maybe you can organize a kitting event with your students, club, team, youth group, or organization? I would recommend approaching a local business or nonprofit to underwrite some of the content, such as the small backpack which will hold all the supplies. For example, I found these on Oriental Trading and these on Amazon. Your local dollar store should have all the other items (except, maybe the Spanish-language book?) listed on the flyer above.

Just remember that a minimum of 25 bags will be accepted by Save the Children. If your organization can help, contact me through my blog or Facebook page and I'll put you in touch with Save the Children.

Thank you for your compassionate, helpful hearts.

Migrant Children's Book Drive

Like a lot of you, I'm upset. Why? Because I keep reading about the atrocity happening to children along the border. We have a crisis unfolding and no one seems capable or willing to fix it.

Even compassionate citizens who are trying to donate the items that the Border Patrol claims it is in dire need of are being refused. It has made me feel powerless to stop the mistreatment - many would say abuse - of these migrant children.

But aside from writing my senators and representatives to object, I realized that there is one thing I can do: help the families that are being released.

The Backstory

I finally saw one good piece of news regarding these families seeking asylum on NBC. The piece talks about how citizens from one of the poorest towns in our country have stepped up to help those families who are being released by the Border Patrol to go to their sponsors and await their asylum hearings. When Border Patrol started leaving families in front of their local McDonalds, the community opened their hearts and created a humanitarian shelter to help these families get started with everything from basic supplies (most arrive with nothing but the clothes they are wearing) to guidance on where they are, and how to get to their sponsor families.

In the piece, I learned that Save the Children has also stepped in to assist these shelters by setting up two of their disaster-proven programs: Child-Friendly Spaces and Mother/Baby Areas. The segment included an interview with actress Jennifer Garner, a board member of Save the Children, who was visiting the shelter. And one image, in particular, stood out to me...



There aren't that many books in the background. And none - well, maybe one? - of them appear to be Latino children's literature. Most are (I'm assuming) translations of popular children's books. Because I can't imagine that any of these kids arrive knowing English. Bilingualism is surely a luxury in the countries from which they are fleeing.

So I reached out to Save the Children and guess what? They're desperate for new Spanish-language books.

They want to use these books in the shelters where they have set up their Child-Friendly Spaces and Mother/Baby areas. In these areas, their staff and the parents will read to children during the short time that they are at the shelter. Save the Children would also like to be able to send a book along with as many children on their journey to their sponsor family as possible.

I know that books don't seem like something these families urgently need. Most of you may be thinking it's more important for them to have basic necessities such as soap, clothes, diapers, etc. The shelters are receiving lots of these donations from the community and independent organizations.

But books are important to these children also. Many of them have never been read to. Why? Because books are a luxury when you are suffering and fleeing from violence and poverty. And a book is such a treasure to the families because it represents something that they are trying to attain: Hope of a better life for their children.

A better life includes a good education to lift them out of poverty. And a good story is a precious gift to a child because it sparks their imagination, encourages them to dream, and can even motivate them to pursue that dream as they grow older.

The Book Drive

So after talking with Save the Children, I've decided to host a book drive for these migrant children and their families.

The nonprofit is urgently seeking new books in Spanish for children anywhere in between the ages of 2 and 18. These books will be used not only in their shelters to be read during storytimes by their bilingual staff, but we would also love to be able to receive enough books to send a book along with as many children on their journey to their sponsor family as possible.

Currently, they have around 200 children and their families coming through the facility each day. Save the Children has made a 2-year commitment and expects to serve between 10,000 and 50,000 children each year.

So you can see how ambitious our goal is - we'd like to get as many books as possible.

And we invite you to join us, not just in donating books, but in sharing this drive with all of your family and friends.

If you need ideas for which books to purchase, I've created an Amazon gift list with a variety of Spanish titles. If you purchase from this list, the books will be shipped to our receiving center for these shelters and Save the Children.

If you are an organization or publisher and would like to make a large donation of books, please contact me for more information. Save the Children is a nonprofit and is happy to provide you with a letter for your tax deductions.

Thank you ALL so much for your compassion and kindness for these children and their families.

UPDATE 7/1

I am so delighted at the remarkable response I've received to the book drive. I spent the weekend responding to messages from:

• individuals wanting to donate books,
• individuals who have already bought and donated books off of the Amazon list,
• authors and publishers who have agreed to send books ASAP!

And I'm also excited to have the #latinaboomermom, Maritere Rodriguez Bellas join our team! If you live in California, be on the lookout for ways to donate books in person. Follow Mari here!

UPDATE 7/3

TEACHERS! GIRL SCOUT LEADERS! And INDIVIDUALS!

Are you thinking of choosing the Migrant Children's Book Drive for your group's community project? Or thinking of celebrating your birthday with a book drive?

We have free flyer templates for you to use. Click here to download them.