Jamie Apone, Summer ’12 Intern, UNC Chapel Hill Class of 2013
I have worked with Book Harvest as an intern for the duration of the summer, researching related organizations, exploring funding options, and actively assisting kids in choosing books. Hanging out with kids and re-finding books I’ve loved before have been fun and playful. Our kids are adorable, and seeing them excited to select books of their very own is an unmatched experience. My favorite are the children who are so reluctant to pick up books.
Recently, there a was a child who stood aloof by a display of our free books. He had his arms crossed and said he didn’t like reading. I presented a few different books to him, and despite his disavowal of enjoying books, he eagerly snatched one. He may not like reading in general, but there is at least one book that snagged his attention.
An aspect that I did not expect to be nearly as enjoyable as it has been is the exposure to allied social justice concerns and the rootedness of our community. Working with organizations like PORCH and Books on Break and the incredible community which fuels our organizations has been wonderful. The best part is knowing that, as awesome as everyone who volunteers is, the people who are helped by our organizations are even more awesome than we are. Thriving has got to be difficult with the myriad of ways that poverty affects lives. That truth is what makes Book Harvest worth doing.