In just a matter of months since beginning Leading with Literature, local high schooler Sam Evans’ dream of making a difference with his nonprofit is in full swing.
Evans is a 16-year-old homeschool student who lives in Nocatee and started the nonprofit in November with the goal of having an initiative that could gather and donate books for people in Asheville, North Carolina affected by Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
In the past couple of months, 1,315 new and gently used children’s books were donated to the cause and Evans recently made a trip to North Carolina and delivered them to Asheville City Schools representatives.
“Asheville City Schools is deeply appreciative of the generous donation of books provided by Leading with Literature. As a district still recovering from the impact of Hurricane Helene, these books will spark the imagination of our students, offering them a magical escape to new worlds and self-discovery through the act of reading,” said Marilee Woodard, communications coordinator for Asheville City Schools.
According to Evans, the cause was something close to his heart having grown up in South Florida and having experienced hurricanes in the past and having family in the North Carolina area.
However, it is an initiative that he believes can have the ability to help anyone who is going through tough times following a natural disaster of any sort.
“I’ve been reading since I was three, and something I’ve experienced is that books no matter if we’re having a good or bad day have the ability to transform your mood,” Evans said. “Helping to escape reality is something that is not just for one place or one city but for those all over.”
Which is why he is proud of Leading with Literature not just for being a entirely student-led initiative but one that has quickly become a high school volunteer network that spans across more than 10 states and four time zones.
The books gathered for the Asheville City Schools project were donated at various drop-off outlets including the Leading with Literature registry on www.Amazon.com as well as at Happy Medium Books Café in Jacksonville and several libraries.
“We want to thank everyone who participated in the Leading with Literature book drive,” said Evans. “Your generosity will support these kids in North Carolina who suffered devastating impacts from the storms. It is heartwarming that every donation put a book into a child’s hands.”
The quick growth of the initiative is something he did not necessarily expect but he is happy to see how many more lives can be influenced as it only continues to spread the word to communities.
“I didn’t know what to expect, I just thought that there had to be some way to help, and this seemed like a perfect way to go about it,” Evans said.
His networking as a homeschooler helped him to get the word spread to other states.
Other high schoolers across the country served as regional coordinators to help raise books in the various states, including more than 200 books gathered by Georgia regional coordinator Sai Lakkimsetti and Sophia Lopez from Ohio who served as Leading with Literature social media director and created and shared posts on social media to encourage book donations and to answer questions about the drive.
Evans and Leading with Literature has already begun its second drive, which this time is focused on raising books to donate for children affected by the recent California wildfires.
Donations can be made through the Leading with Literature registry on Amazon.
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