As many of my readers know, I am the founder of the Bookcase for Every Child project. This project was started in 2005 because of the terrible problem of illiteracy we have in our nation. There are 42 million American adults who cannot read at level one, the fifth grade. If you have any idea of what life is like without being able to read, then you can understand the cascade effect of illiteracy on individuals with this challenge, and on society.
To be sure, this is a generational problem, and our best long-term solution is to provide a personalized bookcase and a starter set of books to preschool children being reared in low-income families. This is provided at no cost to the child’s family. We also encourage parents to read to them. Statistics tell us that 61 percent of these families have no books in the home for their children to read during their formative years.
We have now provided more than 800 of these bookcases locally, and because we have projects in five other states, we have given more than 2,000 of these nationwide. Due to my age, this past year I turned this project over to our local Kiwanis Club. The chairman, who is doing a fantastic job, is Richard Plotkin, who spent 25 years with the Arkansas State Bank Department. This was a natural transition because the motto of Kiwanis International is “Serving the Children of the World.” We have a great club here in Conway that will carry on this project for many years to come.
It is with a great deal of humility that I am pleased to announce that after 50 years of being in the business of helping people, my 10th, and final, book has just been released. The title is “Your Future Begins Today,” and for each 375 copies sold, exclusive of Internet sales, I will give a $1,000 grant to begin a bookcase project in another town. This will be in honor of my good friend, the late Sen. Stanley Russ. Stanley was a member of our committee, and was emcee of our bookcase banquet for many years. He was also a Kiwanian. When a Kiwanis Club gets a $1,000 grant to begin a project, we will also give them a set of bookcase building plans and a copy of my book, “My Heartfelt Passion”, which contains all the information necessary to begin a project, including some great photos. We believe many of these clubs will “pay it forward” and sell enough books in their community to begin another project.
Here is the best part of all: This new book is perfect for anyone who wants a fresh start in life, like inmates being released from jail or prison, recovering alcohol and drug addicts, those who have gone through divorce, and especially young people just starting out in life. It is also a perfect gift for Christmas, graduation, weddings, birthdays and other special occasions. Based on my years of experience, I believe this book has the potential to be a New York Times Best Seller. Time will tell.
My publisher, SBPRA, with offices in Houston and Singapore, has produced an Enhanced Press Release and a Video Trailer that tells all about this new book. Just go to my website: www.jimdavidsonnsc.com, and all the details necessary to purchase copies and become involved can be found there. For the sake of our nation and the future of our children and grandchildren, my prayer is that God will use all of us to His glory as we help these special children.
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(Editor’s Note: Jim Davidson’s new book, “Your Future Begins Today” is destined to become a New York Times Best Seller. Get your copy at www.jimdavidsonnsc.com. He is giving a good portion of book sales to begin Bookcase Literacy Projects in other communities all across the nation.)