Books for the Black Belt2023 Books for the Alabama Black Belt CampaignJanuary 30 - Feburary 24The University of Alabama Center for Economic Development will launch the 17th annual Books for the Alabama Black Belt campaign on Jan. 30. UACED encourages University of Alabama students, faculty, staff and local residents to donate K-12 books to the campaign until Feb. 24.
By donating books to students in Alabama’s 13 Black Belt counties, UACED strives to help children develop a love of learning and reading. UACED will donate the books to schools in Bullock, Butler, Choctaw, Dallas, Greene, Hale, Lowndes, Macon, Marengo, Pickens, Perry, Sumter and Wilcox counties. UACED will accept donations of new or gently used classic and award-winning books frequently found on school reading lists for K-12 children. Donors can bring books to donation boxes on campus in Honors Hall, Carmichael Hall, Wade Hall, Autherine Lucy Hall, the Reese Phifer Hall rotunda, Tuomey Hall, Pi Beta Phi sorority house, the Blackburn Institute office and the Student Government Association office. Donors can also bring books to off-campus donation boxes at Ernest & Hadley Booksellers, United Way of West Alabama, Alberta Baptist Church and The House Tuscaloosa at the Stillman College Student Center. Monetary donations are also accepted; please make checks payable to “The University of Alabama” and mail any donations to: ATTN: Books for the Black Belt Box 870138 Tuscaloosa, AL 35487. Additionally, donors can drop off books and monetary donations at UACED located 621 Greensboro Avenue, open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. If you would like to donate but are not local to Tuscaloosa, we recommend purchasing a bundle of pre-packaged used books from The Book Bundler. The Book Bundler allows you to select books based on a certain age group, genre and condition of the books. If you choose to donate via The Book Bundler, please email UACED so we are sure to receive it. Ship your book bundle to our office at: 621 Greensboro Avenue Tuscaloosa, AL 35401. Today, Alabama's Black Belt includes some of the poorest counties in the United States. Along with high rates of poverty, declining populations and high unemployment, poor access to educational resources is a major concern for the future of K-12 students in this region. The primary goal of the University’s campaign is to provide one book for each child in the Black Belt counties -- more than 30,000 books! Please contact Erin Hackenmueller 205-348-7058 or eshackenmueller@ua.edu for more information. "A student that is not reading at the 3rd-grade level by the end of 3rd grade is four times less likely to finish high school. Today we have only 35 percent of our 3rd graders that are proficient in reading at grade level."
Source: Governor Kay Ivey, 2018 2022 Books for the Black Belt CampaignThe University of Alabama Center for Economic Development (UACED) wrapped up the 16th annual Books for the Black Belt book drive in February of 2022. The month-long book drive ran from January 31 to February 25 and partnered with Culverhouse College of Commerce, UA Honors College, UA College of Education, UA Public Relations Student Society of America, UA College of Human Environmental Studies, Tuscaloosa Public Library, and UA Museums. Through the placement of collection bins around campus and donations from UA faculty, staff, students, and members of the community- 10,000 new and gently used books were collected.
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