For 24 years, Read to Me! ABQ Network has been putting books into the hands of children in the greater Albuquerque area.
“The whole idea is to distribute books to the community and get them directly into the hands and homes of the kids,” said Marie Morra, Marketing Specialist for Rio Metro Regional Transit District and long-time Read to Me! volunteer.
Morra started volunteering with the organization 23 years ago when, as an employee for ABQ RIDE, she needed to find books to put on the buses for the Discover a Book Program. After joining the team at Rio Metro 18 years ago, she brought her passion for literacy to her new role and developed the partnership with Read to Me! and Rio Metro.
A Winning Collaboration
Over the years, Read to Me! and Rio Metro have supported each other in several ways. From bringing the Rail Runner mascot to book drive events, to Rio Metro staff sorting and boxing books for distribution, to Read to Me! providing books and volunteers for Rio Metro’s special events such a Santa’s Village, the collaboration has been a success.
Most recently, the two organizations partnered for a special event and book distribution at Santo Domingo Pueblo in June. According to Morra, the Pueblo received a grant from San Jose University to purchase and install four Little Free Libraries.
“Read to Me!’s role is to keep the libraries filled,” said Morra.
To make this happen, a group of volunteers loaded 600 books onto the New Mexico Rail Runner Express to transport them between Albuquerque and Santo Domingo. Once they reached the Kewa stop, the books were then loaded into a van and taken to the Pueblo’s main library. Then an event was held for Pueblo families to make them aware of the new Little Free Libraries, and, of course, hand out books. A collaboration with Santo Domingo and San Jose University, the event included information tables, giveaways, activities, snacks, snow cones, a meet-and-greet with the Rail Runner mascot, and children were able to take as many books as they wanted.
“It was a great success and collaboration,” said Morra. “It also shows Rio Metro’s support for the Pueblo community.”
About Read to Me!
The Read to Me! ABQ Network collects new and gently used children’s books and monetary donations year-round and through seasonal employer-sponsored book drives. They distribute books throughout the year to organizations like PB&J Family Services, APS Title One Reading Program, homeschool groups, and Little Free Libraries. Read to Me! also supplies books for Rio Metro’s Reading on the Rails program. For information on how to donate books, collaborate on a book drive, or to request books for your organization contact Read to Me! board chair Dave Orner at (505) 681-6325 or dorner66@gmail.com. More information can be found on the website at www.readtomeabqnetwork.org.
“I want to see a library in everyone’s home,” said Morra, who plans to continue her volunteer work and Rio Metro’s collaboration with Read to Me! for a long time to come. “I want each child to have at least 20 books in their house.”
By Riann Martinez, Marketing Specialist, Rio Metro Regional Transit District
