Every year for the last decade, a small volunteer group has dedicated their time and effort to providing young children with a special gift: their own bookcase and a little library to start a lifetime love of reading.

The bookcases are made for children whose families might not have resources to buy books, said Warren County Literacy President Rich Lagemann.

“For many families, that’s a secondary need,” Lagemann said. “We want to help them get started on a lifelong love of reading.”

Getting an early start on reading can help young children prepare for starting school, he added.

However, the nonprofit literacy program is facing a unique challenge this year. The Bookcase Project, as it has come to be called, relies on community sponsors to pay for materials and supplies to build the bookcases. This year with COVID-19, gaining the needed sponsors has been difficult, Lagemann said.

He said only 42 of the bookcases for this year’s 55 recipients have been sponsored. Sponsorships are $50 each, so the organization is still hoping to raise $650.

Each bookcase is made with the individual child’s name on it and gifted to them personally in April. Volunteers, mostly retired educators, hand-craft the bookcases with supplies purchased through sponsors. The books that come with them are collected through donations.

The bookcases actually cost slightly more than what sponsors donate. Lagemann said that isn’t usually a problem, because there have always been more than enough sponsors. This year, however, sponsor outreach has been difficult during the statewide stay-at-home order.

Warren County Literacy is hoping more sponsors will come forward to help with this year’s program. If not, Lagemann said the nonprofit will have to use its small reserve fund to make up the difference.

“We don’t have much, but it’s there,” Lagemann commented.

For the families most in need, who are probably facing greater financial challenges now, Lagemann said it’s more important than ever to provide books for children who otherwise wouldn’t have access to them.

The bookcases go to preschool-age children identified through the Youth in Need Head Start and Wright City Parents as Teachers Programs.

Amy Nichols, director of operations for Warren County Youth in Need, said the bookcase donations brighten the lives of children in living in challenging circumstances.

“For a lot of our families, housing is a concern. A lot of people move around, some kids share rooms. The bookcases are something that’s just for them, it’s their own item. The kids really love it” Nichols said. “It’s a really great program, if anyone during this time is looking for a great cause.”

Kamie Williams, coordinator for Parents as Teachers in Wright City, said the Bookcase Project helps them fulfill a core part of their mission.

“One of the key programs of Parents as Teachers is literacy. We do book shares with families every time we visit, and we encourage families to continue reading every day,” Williams said.

“Literacy promotes learning. It takes children to places they’ve never been through reading. It also builds their language skills, their speech skills.”

Williams said it’s always wonderful to see bookcase sponsors read with children each year.

Unfortunately, because of COVID-19 it won’t be possible to bring sponsors and children together this year. But community members can still donate and share messages with the young recipients.

“It’s a wonderful gift that is given to these children,” Williams said.

To donate for the Bookcase Project, email info@WarrenCountyLiteracy.org. Visit www.warrencountyliteracy.com for more information.