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“We thought it should mean more than recovery in a hospital but recovery everywhere,” said Grace, 15, a sophomore at Yorktown High School.
In 2013, RecoveRead plans to donate more than 1,000 books to day care centers in the Rockaway neighborhood of Queens, which was one of the hardest hit by Hurricane Sandy. Grace also is targeting several other areas affected by the October storm and also will donate to the Sandy Hook Elementary School area in Newtown, Conn.
The main source of donations for RecoveRead is the Barnes & Noble Holiday Book Drive. Ring said the Mohegan Lake store has collected about 5,000 books in three years, and more than 3,000 in 2012 alone. Thanks to its Twitter and Facebook pages, RecoveRead has also made its way overseas.
"We've gotten books from Hawaii," Grace said. "And we've sent some to Ghana and India this year. We’ve gone global."
Despite the expansion, Grace said, she won't forget about her own backyard, and will continue to donate to local hospitals and domestic violence shelters.
She also hopes to make RecoveRead an official 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in 2013.
"We are trying to make this a real thing so I can have fundraisers and things like that," Grace said.
RecoveRead typically collects used books for children and teens. Used books should be in good condition and dust-free. Anyone looking to donate may email Grace at RecoveRead@aol.com.
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