1stGenYaleDC thanks Yalies in DC, Maryland, and Virginia for donating 1,204 books for children during our new-and-gently-used book drive! The books were collected for our communities’ youngest readers in need, from babies to 6th graders, and included 1,145 softcover, 35 hardcover, and 24 board books.
The drive supported Reading Is Fundamental of Northern Virginia, Inc., also known as RIF NOVA, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides books to underserved children to encourage reading and promote literacy. During April and May 2026, five Yale Day of Service sites across the region accepted books during their service project dates.
Yalies donated at the Catholic Charities St. Lucy Food Project Warehouse in Manassas, VA; at the So What Else Food Pantry in Bethesda; at the Upward Bound Scholars Meet & Greet in DC; at Katherine Hanley Family Shelter Cleanup and Organization in Fairfax, VA; and at Women Giving Back in Sterling, VA. Two dollies were required to heft the bags and boxes of books into their storage facility, from where they will be distributed to Title 1 schools and literacy programs throughout Northern Virginia.
As always, Yale Bulldogs could be counted on to share their resourcefulness and good fortune. “I am getting hundreds of books from my son's school!” Kristian Edwards ’09 emailed. “They were trying to get rid of them, and I said I would take them all!”
1stGenYaleDC alumni volunteers and partners collected the books at Yale Day of Service sites across two states and the District of Columbia, and dedicated volunteers delivered them to the project leader for counting and sorting before ultimate delivery to RIF NOVA in Vienna, VA.
Thank you to our team-spirited service site hosts, Yvonne Paintsil ’14 MAM, Barbara Tyran ’79 MBA, Kristian Edwards ’09, ’10 MPH, Yvette Rivers ’96, and to the Yale Club of DC for helping promote the Drive to all its members. We are grateful for our fleet and professional interstate delivery drivers: Ben Bartolome ’16, Ted Jaditz ’79, Pat Protacio P’14 & ’15, and Yvette Rivers ’96.
If you would like to join us or we can help support you, please contact 1stGenYaleDC.
