March “Spring Into Reading” book drive temporarily on hold
Doing some spring cleaning while you’re stuck at home? Set aside books for our Spring Into Reading book drive, which is temporarily on hold as many of our drop-off locations are closed. But the book drive will resume later! (Also, while United Way of Southwest Michigan remains fully operational, our physical office is closed and we cannot receive deliveries from our Amazon Wishlist.) Stay tuned!
In partnership with the Great Start Collaboratives of Berrien, Cass, and Van Buren Counties, United Way of Southwest Michigan seeks to collect 5,000 new and gently used books from March 1-31 for area children and young adults. This book drive will collect books to be distributed through area home visiting programs, Tri County Head Start, area shelters, strategic businesses, area food pantries, and targeted agencies to get books in kids’ hands during summer months.
We will also use the books to add a “Read Up” component to summer “Meet Up, Eat Up” sites in Berrien, Cass, and Van Buren Counties. “Meet Up, Eat Up” sites are part of the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) from the USDA, which ensures low-income children continue to receive nutritious meals when school is not in session. The population this program serves is one that can greatly benefit from sending books with them to their homes. One of the best ways to impact educational attainment for children in low-income communities is to develop their reading skills. To develop those skills, children are encouraged to read at home, but many children living in poverty in the U.S. do not have access to books at their homes.
BOOK DROP LOCATIONS
Berrien County
United Way of Southwest Michigan, 2015 Lakeview, St. Joseph
E.P. Clarke Elementary School, 515 E. Glenlord Rd., St. Joseph
Brown Elementary School, 2027 Brown School Rd., St. Joseph
Lincoln Elementary School, 1102 Orchard Ave., St. Joseph
Upton Middle School, 800 Maiden Ln., St. Joseph
St. Joseph High School, 2521 Stadium Dr., St. Joseph
First Source Bank, 1600 Hilltop Road, St. Joseph
Horizon Bank, 2608 Niles Rd., St. Joseph
Hanson Logistics, 440 Renaissance Dr., St. Joseph
Hanson Logistics, 2875 S. Pipestone, Benton Harbor
Mid-West Family, 580 E. Napier, Benton Harbor
DHHS, 401 8th St., Benton Harbor
Fusion Center for Dance, 2162 Plaza Dr., Benton Harbor
Lake Michigan College, 2755 E. Napier Ave., Benton Harbor
Lakeshore High School, 5771 Cleveland Ave., Stevensville
Lakeshore Admin Building, 5772 Cleveland Ave., Stevensville
Lakeshore Middle School, 1459 W. John Beers Rd., Stevensville
Roosevelt Elementary School, 2000 El Dorado Dr., Stevensville
Stewart Elementary School, 2750 Orchard Ln., Stevensville
Hollywood Elementary School, 143 W. John Beers Rd., Stevensville
Mars Elementary School, 430 W Mars St., Berrien Springs
Andrews University, Berrien Springs
Indiana Michigan Power, an AEP Company, One Cook Place, Bridgman
Coloma Intermediate School, 274 South West St., Coloma
Coloma Elementary School, 262 South West St., Coloma
Spectrum Health Lakeland, All locations (Meadowbrook, Niles, St. Joseph, Watervliet, COPS & Watervliet Outpatient Rehab)
Midway Baptist Church, 7517 Red Arrow Hwy., Watervliet
Circle Federal Credit Union (GNCFCU), 507 E. Main St., Niles
First Source Bank, 306 E. Main St., Niles
Shelf Life - Community Bookstore, 223 N. 4th St., Niles
Cass County
United Presbyterian Church, 209 E. State St., Cassopolis
Circle Federal Credit Union (GNCFCU), 1050 E. State St., Cassopolis
Lewis Cass ISD Administrative Building, 61682 Dailey Rd., Cassopolis
First Source Bank, 223 S. Front St., Dowagiac
Wolverine Mutual Insurance, 1 Wolverine Way, Dowagiac
Ascension Borgess-Lee, 420 W. High St., Dowagiac
Southwestern Michigan College, 58900 Cherry Grove Rd., Dowagiac
Van Buren/Cass District Health Department, 302 S. Front St., Dowagiac
Creative Foam, 55210 Rudy Rd., Dowagiac
Circle Federal Credit Union (GNCFCU), 68925 M-62, Suite A, Edwardsburg
Marcellus Elementary School, 301 W. Arbor St., Marcellus
Sam Adams Elementary School, 101 S. East St., Cassopolis
Ross Beatty Jr/Sr High School, 22721 Diamond Cove S., Cassopolis
Cassopolis Public Schools Admin Building, 725 Center St., Cassopolis
Midwest Energy and Communications (MEC), 60590 Decatur Rd., Cassopolis
Van Buren County
United Way of Southwest Michigan, 181 W. Michigan Ave. #4, Paw Paw
Paw Paw Township Building, 114 N. Gremps St., Paw Paw
Midwest Family (Cosy), 11637 M-140 Suite B, South Haven
Hanson Logistics, 61834 Red Arrow Hwy, Hartford
Van Buren DHHS, 57150 County Road 681, Harford
Van Buren/Cass District Health Department, 57418 Co Rd 681, Hartford
Mattawan Middle School, 24959 McGillian, Mattawan
Mattawan High School, 56487 Western St., Mattawan
Books with a focus on diversity are greatly encouraged.
For more info, email morgan.jewell@uwsm.org.
AMAZON WISHLIST
Donate online by purchasing books through our Amazon wishlist. They can be shipped directly to our office to be distributed.
PDFs to download and print -
General flyer (8.5” x 11”)
General poster (11” x 17”)
Berrien drop-off locations flyer (8.5” x 11”)
Cass drop-off locations flyer (8.5”x 11”)
Van Buren drop-off locations flyer (8.5”x11”)
