Judith’s Reading Room celebrated its 65th month of boxing books for active duty troops and veterans at its final Boxing Party on Monday, November 2, 2015.
Thirty-four community volunteers ranging in age from 3 to 70 gathered at the organization’s southside Bethlehem headquarters. Packing 965 mostly new novels worth $10,608, the volunteers smashed previous shipment totals. The organization serves VA hospitals and shelters in Pennsylvania at the PA Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Home and Butler Healthcare, the VA Hospital in E. Orange New Jersey, and Steadfast House in NC, a shelter for women veterans and their children.
Over the past five years, Judith’s Reading Room, a nonprofit literacy organization, has shipped a total of 126,442 books worth $1,371,791. Nearly 50% of all shipments have been to military bases, hospitals, shelters and aircraft carriers here and around the world. The organization has established 93 libraries in 16 countries serving tens of thousands of children and adults who crave the opportunity to read for fun.
Judith’s Reading Room has shifted its focus to searching the world for individual champions of literacy from all disciplines — teachers, librarians, authors, researchers, educators — anyone who has done exemplary work to instill in others a love of reading. The $10,000 Award carries a top prize of $5,000 and up to five $1,000 runner-up prizes.