The Gift of Books and the Power of Giving
Mission:MathMinds team at Palatine District 15 Schools distributing the Gift of Book Bags to children
There is no bigger gift than the gift of knowledge through books for those who need it. Recently, Mission:MathMinds had the pleasure of donating more than 2,000 books to the elementary / middle school and foster care children of Northwest Suburban Illinois. The joy expressed by the hundreds of children seeing the gift of books was invaluable.
Mission:MathMinds is a global non-profit organization (www.MissionMathMinds.org) that promotes a math-first approach to inspiring girls at the school level and propel them into STEM fields. The vision of the organization is to "empower girls to be tomorrow's female leaders in Math, Engineering, Technology, and Science or METS."
Recently, hundreds of Mission:MathMinds team members volunteered their time to pack 500 gift bags full of books for the children who are otherwise unable to get access to quality reading materials. These books were generously donated to the organization by the Northwest Suburban Illinois community.
About $80,000 worth of books were collected by the Mission:MathMinds team so far through the Book Drive Initiative and delivered to various schools across the nation (including Palatine District 15 and 211), foster care homes (Shelter, Inc.), and many of the Chicago Public Schools (CPS). A huge appreciation to the School Administrators who embraced the need to support the children with the gift of books from Mission:MathMinds.
Ruby Arun, CEO and Founder of Mission:MathMinds says "What an opportunity to meet these wonderful children and share the gift of books with them. I am glad that we were able to do a small part to bring the holiday cheer for those in need."
Mission:MathMinds is built on the efforts of volunteers. As a non-profit organization, all the volunteers receive service hours for their leadership, organization, and community support activities. The organization conducts monthly events to provide an opportunity for our girls and like-minded individuals to volunteer their time and effort.
The impact of the organization is profound: 2,000+ service hours awarded to middle and high school volunteers, 1,000+ girls reached through various initiatives, $4,000+ funds raised from grants and fundraisers, and more than 15 workshops / events conducted.
Say Ruby Arun, "Our vision is to make a positive impact by being an agent of change in the community and the world. We fully embrace the UN goals on education and gender equality."
The organization's effort is to raise awareness and support, at the local level, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (GOALS | UN Sustainable Development) on "Quality Education (Goal 4)" and "Gender Equality (Goal 5)". Our focus on math-first STEM education and emphasis on girls at an early stage is a primary motivator for closing the gender inequality.
You can be a positive agent of change in the community by being part of the Mission:MathMinds organization. Several opportunities exists for girls to show leadership and like-minded individuals to make an impact. Follow us at Mission:MathMinds or reach out to info@missionmathminds.org or (847) 851-4701.
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This article is also on Daily Herald: The Gift of Books and the Power of Giving (dailyherald.com)
