Bank RI hosting book drive

PROVIDENCE – Bank Rhode Island is hosting a book drive during March in its 19 branches in partnership with Books Are Wings.
Books Are Wings, a local nonprofit, puts free books in the hands of children in some of Rhode Island’s neediest communities.
Generating more than 2,000 book donations to Central Falls last year, the effort this year constitutes the fifth year of partnership between the bank and the nonprofit. According to Rhode Island Kids Count, 56 percent of Central Falls fourth graders are not proficient in reading.
BankRI aims to exceed last year’s results, setting a goal of collecting 2,500 books in 2015.
“The reading proficiency gap in Rhode Island between low-income students and their more affluent peers is not only well-documented, it’s troubling,” said Patricia O’Donnell-Saracino, vice president of community relations for BankRI.
“At BankRI, this drive is something that we are entirely committed to and has become an effort our customers and staff look forward to being a part of each year.”
In addition to hosting its month-long book drive, BankRI has also awarded a $2,000 grant to Books Are Wings. The funds will be used to provide literacy supplies to 650 Central Falls students and the distribution of an additional 1,300 books through a School Book Party and Early Learning Book Party organized by Books Are Wings.

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