July 21, 2022 | Benay Hicks
After being closed to the public since 2020, Book Harvest Durham unveiled its new Family Space at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, July 19! The transformed 1,300-square-foot space inside the Book Harvest offices at 2501 University Drive in Durham is a brand-new colorful area full of books, wall toys, a magnet wall, reading nooks, puppets and more – all designed to make it easy for children and families to play, learn and read together.
As with all Book Harvest books, the children’s books in the Family Space are high-interest, culturally inclusive and available for children to take home and keep forever. Books are available for children of all ages in both Spanish and English, with the play area designed for preschool-aged children and their families.
“We know that children and families not only need access to books, but also to spaces that are safe, inviting and engaging learning environments. Our new Family Space is a place for families to come together and engage in activities that nurture inquiry, curiosity and learning. We invite everyone across our Durham community to come visit and take home lots of books. Our Family Space reflects our organization perfectly – and our belief that books build brains and learning happens everywhere.” Tabitha Blackwell, Executive Director of Book Harvest Durham
The Family Space was made possible thanks to a generous grant from the PNC Foundation, in support of PNC Grow Up Great®, a bilingual $500 million multi-year initiative to help prepare young children for success in school and life. PNC Grow Up Great has helped support Book Harvest programming and resources, including the impactful Book Babies program, since 2015.
“All of us at PNC believe it’s never too early to invest in a child’s future, and we recognize that early learning experiences are critical for long-term achievement. We are happy to collaborate with Book Harvest to introduce the Family Space where children can develop a foundation for literacy and passion for learning.” Jim Hansen, PNC Regional President for Eastern Carolinas
The Book Harvest Family Space is open 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Tues.– Sat. (closed on holidays). COVID precautions are in effect, and all adults and children age 3 and older must wear masks covering their nose and mouth. There is a limited capacity of 10 people in the space at a time.
About PNC Foundation:
The PNC Foundation, which receives its principal funding from The PNC Financial Services Group (www.pnc.com), actively supports organizations that provide services for the benefit of communities in which it has a significant presence. The foundation focuses its philanthropic mission on early childhood education and community and economic development, which includes the arts and culture. Through PNC Grow Up Great®, its signature cause that began in 2004, PNC has created a bilingual $500 million, multi-year initiative to help prepare children from birth to age 5 for success in school and life. For more information, visit http://www.pncgrowupgreat.com.