A book drive organized by students and staff at the Kumon South Centre and Kumon Castleridge Centre collected and donated 492 books for the Children’s Cottage Society and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Calgary and Area.
Brothers Rico and Jason Au, who own the Kumon South Centre and Kumon Castleridge Centre respectively, encouraged their staff members, who are also students, to organize and plan the drives. They also tasked them with identifying community charities where the books could be donated.
“I’m so proud of my team for making this Book Drive such a success,” says Rico Au. “Two of my staff members immediately stepped up to take charge, handling everything from outreach to logistics. Thanks to their hard work, not only will Big Brothers Big Sisters and Children’s Cottage Society benefit from these donations, but some of the books will also go to local schools.”
The Children’s Cottage Society supports children and families in crisis through early intervention and prevention programs. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Calgary and Area empowers mentoring relationships, provides support to youth facing adversity and matches them with adult volunteers who can be positive role models.
“Big Brothers Big Sisters provides a strong support system for children who need guidance,” says Emma Michelson, an assistant at the Kumon South location who helped organize the drive. “Having benefited from a support system myself while growing up, I understand how important it is for children to have role models to look up to. Because of this, I felt passionate about giving back to an organization that fosters mentorship and support for young people.”
Christiana Chang, who helped organize the drive at the Kumon Castleridge Centre, selected the Children’s Cottage because of previous volunteer service with them.
“Choosing the Children’s Cottage Society as our donation recipient was especially meaningful to me, as I had previously supported them through a blanket drive,” she says. “I knew that donating books would be a perfect way to continue making a positive impact.”
Kumon instructors and corporate staff in Canada, the U.S., and Mexico collect new and gently used books at their centers each year. As part of the international book drive, Instructors designate local organizations that provide resources to families—such as children’s hospitals, local schools, literacy tutors and library fundraising groups—to receive the books. Since 2022, instructors have collected and donated 57,268 books.
“Together, we’ve made a lasting impact, one book at a time,” says Danielle Sabbagh, Kumon’s communication and event specialist. “These books have been distributed far and wide across North America, supporting access to education and literacy for countless communities.”
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