Commerce Township nonprofit provides gift of reading
(CBS DETROIT) - As the countdown to Christmas approaches, a local nonprofit in Commerce Township is dedicated to making sure all kids have a holiday full of fun while learning.
"It's not just a book. It can take a child on an adventure," said Maria Dismondy, CEO of Making Spirits Bright.
A journey to success is the mission behind Making Spirits Bright, an organization based out of Commerce Township.
"We are a nonprofit, and we are dedicated to collecting, sorting and distributing books with our local partners," Dismondy said.
This holiday, Dismondy says the organization is teaming up with one of its many partners, Brilliant Detroit, to get books in the hands of kids to create a love for reading.
"At every one of our locations, we have little free libraries. We know that accessibility to books and making sure that every kid and family has books in their home is critically important," said Cindy Eggleton, CEO of Brilliant Detroit.
With 15 hubs in neighborhoods across Detroit, Eggleton says Brilliant Detroit is the go-to spot for kids to receive educational resources to give them the tools for a bright future.
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Making Spirits Bright is passionate about the same goal.
"Every week, they're little angels at every one of our locations, filling up little libraries. It is incredibly beautiful. It's what true community is," Eggleton stated.
On average, Dismondy and her team at Making Spirits Bright drop off roughly 3,000 donated books a month at Brilliant Detroit's little free libraries.
"Each library gets about 20 books," Dismondy said.
These particular books this holiday are even more special. Each book is gift-wrapped and labeled for families to place under the tree for their kids.
"So, what we did is we put labels on all of the wrapped gifts so that parents can see that they're age-appropriate," said Dismondy.
It's a cause committed to literacy to ensure all kids in Detroit neighborhoods have access to books in their homes. For Dismondy, it's a gift of reading with a much bigger impact.
"It's a gift that's going to last these families and these children, and these communities a lifetime. It's called the ripple effect. If children start to love to read and the books are age-appropriate, and they feel successful, the more they read, the more they know, the better they do in school, the better they do in school, the more successful they are in life," Dismondy said.
If you would like to get involved with Making Spirits Bright, the organization works with many schools and other nonprofits. The team is always in need of volunteers and book donations.