This fall, we were thrilled to welcome two NC LiteracyCorps members to our Book Harvest family. If you come by Grab-and-Go or stop by our bins to donate books, you may catch a glimpse of Christian Jones and Olivia Fingold. Here is a bit of info on our two new colleagues!
Christian was a political science major at Saint Augustine’s University; Olivia got her degree in psychology at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Both chatted with us about the ways books have shaped their experiences and what drew them to Book Harvest for their year of service.
Christian Jones
What is a children’s book that has had an enduring impact on you?
Christian: One of the books that has left a positive impression on me since childhood is the infamous Dr. Seuss book “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!”. It empowered me, and opened my mind to the limitless path that anyone can embark on with the right mindset. Anytime I see paraphernalia based on this book there’s a high likelihood that I’ll purchase it!
Olivia: An important book during my childhood was “Where the Sidewalk Ends” by Shel Silverstein. It was filled with poems, words, and ideas that I had never heard of, and that amazed me. I looked forward to reading each and every poem because they all left me with unique feelings and thoughts. This book was the first to teach me the amazing way a book can transport you into another world.
What excites you about working with Book Harvest?
Olivia Fingold
Christian: The vision of Book Harvest correlates with my passion for sharing knowledge to guarantee success. I am a firm believer that literacy and access to information (or lack thereof) are determining factors of one’s future. Book Harvest not only provides books to communities that have limited accessibility to literature; but also provides literacy resources to families in order to ensure lifelong learning.
Olivia: I am excited about Book Harvest’s mission to get books into the hands of every child. Book ownership is a human right and Book Harvest creates an opportunity to ensure that right is guaranteed through various methods of distribution. I am excited to work alongside the impressive team and learn about how the organization is able to accomplish everything they do in the Durham community.
Welcome to Book Harvest, Christian and Olivia!