Bookstore patrons donate more than 850 books to Reading Buddies

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — The RSVP Center of Essex and Hudson Counties, a program of Jewish Family Service of MetroWest NJ, recently received more than 850 books as the beneficiary of Barnes & Noble Livingston’s annual holiday book drive in December. Books collected will benefit RSVP’s Reading Buddies program, which matches older adult volunteers with elementary school students. Volunteers are reading both virtually and in person this year to improve reading comprehension skills and form an intergenerational bond with their students.

“Reading Buddies has returned to the physical classroom for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic. We are so excited to be able to get our volunteers back in-person and working with students in local Essex and Hudson County schools,” RSVP program manager Julie Cramer said. “We are so appreciative of Barnes & Noble’s holiday book drive, which helps us provide books to our volunteers and students to enhance their experience with the program and promote a love of reading in children.” 

For more information about the RSVP Center for Essex and Hudson Counties, call 973-765-9050 or visit jfsmetrowest.org.