“This is so exciting what your organization is doing!

My brother and I plan to give away books to children this summer. We will be working out the trunk of our cars (baby steps).

I have an idea! In the fall I will start teaching 2 classes in Anatomy/Physiology at Estrella Mountain Community College in Avondale, AZ. I plan to get other professors to start a club interested in collecting children’s books.

I believe: When we give a child a book, we give them the WORLD! The possibilities of what a child can do in life is incalculable.

This reminds me of Albert Pike – “What we do for ourselves dies with us but what we do for others, lives an eternity.”

My quote: “God gives us today to shape the future.” Or “Today is an opportunity to shape the future.”

You see, my brother and I grew up working in the fields picking all kinds of crops. For many years, every summer we traveled to the San Joaquin Valley, around Fresno to work in the grapes, peppers, figs, olives, melons tomatoes…etc. I wished could have had a book to read but
my parents could not afford such luxuries (books).

Thank you for your inspiration – You are doing a great thing.”

Juan Cisneros

I would like to thank you for the service that you provide to myself and the institutions I represent. Please utilize this in any manner you would like.

I work with the East Bay Academy for Young Sciences at U.C. Berkeley’s Lawrence Hall of Science.  I recently conducted a lesson where students created insects of their own design and used books that I have collect over a year by using your services. The lesson went well and a student asked if he could purchase a book from me. I told him to talk to me after class. After class I gave him the book and his payment was going to be enthusiastic participation in the course. It is nice to know that I could motivate students through books and that I could readily replace that book at East Bay Book Project.

I also distribute books to members of my community in Los Angeles. In Los Angeles I worked with a gang intervention organization and brought science and homework help to children of friends and community members.  I am proud to say that I brought books to a friend whom I tutored in his youth. I later was an expert witness and helped acquit him of a capital murder charge. Now I provide books to his children and family. I recently lost a close friend to murder this year. The loss was great but it gives me great pleasure giving books to his daughters and to their mother who additionally distributes them in the halfway house where she resides. I have distributed hundreds of books to parents and children who would not normally receive books.

East Bay Children’s Book Project has allowed me to encourage reading and science education in formal and informal educational settings. It serves me in my work and  personal life within my community. I thank you in behalf of all the people that I have received thanks from over this last year.

Beto Bracho

Public Education Specialist

Lawrence Hall of Science