As an intern at Book Harvest, I've come to understand that our organization's mission extends far beyond the confines of an office. It's about connecting with our community on a deeply personal level, enriching lives, and fostering a love for literacy from the very beginning of a child's life. So, when I was asked to help build and box 150 Books from Birth packages for 150 newborns at the ECU hospital in Greenville, NC, I didn’t hesitate to say “yes!”
As I worked meticulously with our amazing Book Harvest volunteers to pack each box with 10 brand new books and other goodies to send these babies home with their very own starter home library, I couldn't help but imagine the future joy these boxes would bring to families, knowing that their little ones were being celebrated and supported right from the start. Before long, I shed the blazer I wore to the office that day and pulled my hair up into a ponytail. I wasn't just ticking tasks off my To-Do list anymore; I was investing my heart into each and every box I packaged. It was a tangible reminder of the impact our organization has on the lives of those we serve, and that realization alone made assembling and packaging all 150 of these boxes feel effortless.
It reinforced my belief that our work goes beyond simply providing books; it's about nurturing early childhood development and supporting families in a personal way, especially during those invaluable beginning stages of a child's life. As I stacked the final box, I felt a sense of pride knowing that I had a part in something bigger—a community coming together to ensure that every child has the opportunity to thrive through the power of literacy.