Toys Come to Life at Local Theater

A special screening of Disney Pixar’s Toy Story 3,will be held on Saturday, Feb. 26 at the Clearview Cinemas in Red Bank to benefit children in need.  The event is hosted by The Bridge of Books Foundation, a non-profit organization, which was originally founded in 2000 in San Francisco, CA.  The New Jersey chapter was started in early 2003.

The organization provides new and used books directly to children and children's organizations. BoB gets books into the hands of children who need them the most, yet have the least access to books. BoB gives books to foster family agencies, homeless shelters, Head Start programs, underfunded schools and after-school programs, neighborhood centers, boys and girls clubs, and directly to children at food pantries.

In New Jersey, the organization distributes books through an extensive network of more than 100 Jersey based agencies and organizations serving at-risk and underprivileged children like the New Jersey Youth Corps and New Jersey Reading Coaches.  It is run on a volunteer basis and has distributed more than 250,000 books throughout the state and benefited thousands of children.

“The literacy skills garnered from exposure to books is vital to a child's future success and economic stability,” said local chapter Founder and Executive Director, Abigail Daly. 

Daly an attorney, had previously represented children and adults who were involuntarily committed to psychiatric hospitals, as well as advocating for children within the New Jersey Division of Youth and Family Services system.  She later left the practice of law to be at home with her children. “Bridge of Books provided a perfect vehicle for me to remain involved with at-risk children while pursuing my love of reading and teaching my children about giving back to the community.” 

The BoB event, which will begin at 9:15 a.m., will include face painting, games and goody bags, as well as a ticket auction, and will culminate with a showing of the final installment of the Disney Pixar film at 10.  Donations of new and gently used children’s books are welcome at the event.

Tickets are available in advance at River Road Books in Fair Haven or by sending a check to “Bridge of Books” along with a self-addressed, stamped envelope to P.O. Box 39, Rumson, NJ 07760.

Daly said it is important to note that books are being stored at Red Bank Self Storage on Willow Street.  The facility has beeen “donating space to BoB since we started,” she said, “and we really wouldn’t be where we are today without their support.”

For more information about how you can serve this worthy organization, contact Abigail Daly atdalyf@comcast.net.