Durham nonprofit Book Harvest gives away one millionth book

DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) -- The nonprofit Book Harvest based in Durham has given away its one millionth book to a local child.

Book Harvest was started by Ginger Young in 2011 when she set up a book shelf stocked with free books for children at the Inter-faith Council for Social Service in Carrboro.

Today, Book Harvest continues to provide books to children who need them to promote lifelong literacy and academic success. Thousands of books donated to Book Harvest every year are then made available to children so they can grow up in book-rich homes.

"I could never in my wildest dreams have imagined this day," shared Book Harvest Founder and Executive Director Ginger Young.

Book Harvest has four core programs that start with newborns and reach North Carolina children all the way through high school.

Book Harvest's 12 full-time staff members work to ensure that all children, regardless of family income, can build home libraries filled with books they have chosen themselves.

The nonprofit partners with hundreds of schools, health clinics, social service agencies and community organizations to transform homes and communities into book-rich environments.

Book Harvest's one millionth book was The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson, the National Ambassador for Young People's Literature.

Woodson herself extended her congratulations to Book Harvest, saying "I am so proud, and I cannot wait to celebrate two million with you, three million, four million, infinity.

ABC11 Together is a proud sponsor of Book Harvest's Dream Big Book Drive held every year at Durham Central Park on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

ABC11's parent company Disney donated 5000 new books this year to local children through the Book Harvest book drive.