Imagine a world without literacy...  I can't.  We would never find ourselves lost amidst rows of diversions and fantasy.  Dumbstruck by love; we would have few places to turn for wisdom.  How long would we have to wait for that Eureka moment we know would make our world just a little bit better?  The words "to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love" would be non-existant.  Nearly everything we want, we would never get.  

Literacy makes us human.  Maybe even more than opposable thumbs, passing notes, and tacocat sweaters.  It connects us to the past so we don't make the same mistakes as our predecessros. It grounds us in the present when we journal our thoughts...  All so that tomorrow we can share our experience with another and become a part of the human legacy.  

Imagine a lifetime spent trying to be understood as to understand, but always coming up short.  Unfortunately, for some, this is not fiction.  But we can change this fact by investing in literacy programs, championing language whenever we can, or just by continuing the human tradition of bedtime stories.  I'll be continuing this tradition right up until the Humana Rock & Roll Half Marathon, so check in daily for a new bedtime story from me to you!

E5:  Episode 5

E4:  Episode 4

E3:  Episode 3

E2:  Episode 2

E1:  Episode 1

Team Bookin' It

Open Books' annual fundraiser Team Bookin' It (TBI), brings together runners, virtual runners, and donors in support of literacy. TBI is part of the Humana Rock 'n' Roll Chicago Half Marathon, July 21-22. The race includes a 5K on Saturday, July 21 and a 10K and Half Marathon on Sunday, July 22. The race takes place at Grant Park. Proceeds of TBI 2018 benefit Open Books' literacy and book granting programs that reach thousands of children each year.

Our Mission

Open Books transforms lives through reading, writing, and the GIVING power of used books. Open Books brings the joy of literacy to 5,000 children, and donates over 150,000 books to children, families, and under-resourced communities in Chicagoland this year. To learn more, please visit us at www.open-books.org.

Employee Matches

Want to Double your Donation? Did you know that hundreds of companies across the country match employee charitable contributions dollar-for-dollar?
 
How It Works
 
1. Contact your employer’s Human Resources and ask whether your company matches employee donations to Open Books.
2. Request & fill out your company’s matching gift forms, and submit along with any necessary documentation.
3. Any nonprofit forms can be sent to:

Open Books
651 W. Lake Street
Chicago, IL 60661