Councilman Jimmy Vacca’s drive to bring books and other media to community organizations, schools, and senior centers has delivered.
Used books and movies have already been distributed to 25 schools, senior centers, nursing homes, and hospitals. Called the first-ever Classic Book and Movie Drive, the donations will be used to establish or expand reading and viewing libraries at community institutions serving children and seniors.
As of Monday, November 30 over 1,000 classic books and films have been donated, with 1,000 more to go.
“The response to our book and movie drive has been truly staggering,” Vacca said. “My office is overflowing with donations from across the community, and I want to thank not only those who brought in their unneeded books and movies, but also the volunteers who have put in dozens of hours sorting, boxing, and delivering the materials. This is truly yeoman’s work!”
The hard toil of the Classic Book and Movie Drive is being coordinated by Vacca Volunteer Maria Meli and assisted by Oscar Koreisz, Nicholas Pignatelli, Carmen Delgado, Pat Flanagan, and members of Vacca’s district office staff. Donations are no longer being accepted as of November 30, as volunteers sort through the remaining materials.
“We are still looking for more recipients,” Meli said. “We had to go through the books and get rid of textbooks, religious books, or books that are inappropriate. We have given away books to many organizations and still have bags of books that have yet to be opened.”
The organizations that have received donated books and movies so far include: P.S. 10, P.S. 14, P.S. 71, P.S. 83, P.S. 89, P.S. 96, P.S. 105, P.S. 108, P.S. 175, P.S. 304, M.S. 101, M.S. 180, the Piagentini and Jones Campus, Bronx House Senior Center, Fort Schuyler House, Jacobi Medical Center, JASA Throggs Neck Senior Center, Jeanne Jugan Residence, Jewish Community Council of Pelham Parkway, New York Westchester Square Medical Center, Northeast Bronx Senior Citizens Center, RAIN Middletown Senior Center, United Odd Fellow and Rebekkah Home, and Zoodohos Peghe Senior Center.
Additional deliveries are being planned in coming weeks. Organization seeking donations or individuals interested in volunteering should contact Maria Meli by e-mail at buggaloo9@hotmail.com.
Vacca’s Volunteer Corps, an effort launched in June by Vacca, seeks to place community volunteers at worthy projects around his district. So far, the corps has re-painted a defaced flag mural at Sacket and Paulding avenues, done litter cleanup and beautification along Pelham Parkway South, and cleaned a pedestrian overpass over the Bruckner Expressway at Baisley Avenue.
