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Funder Believes in Building Strong Readers

Bookstock co-chairs (from left): Natalie Newman, Roz Blanck, Sheri Schiff, Sharon Resnick, and Julie Sherizen

The desire to develop strong readers was a driving force behind metro Detroit’s biggest used book and media sale, called Bookstock, which is a major source of funding for Oakland Literacy Council.

“If you can read, you can learn anything,” says Roz Blanck, who co-chairs Bookstock. “You become a better citizen. You learn about different people and cultures. You become more empathetic. Reading is just fundamental.”

Bookstock began 17 years ago as a small fundraiser for a single school, but it has grown into a huge weeklong sale. Currently, Oakland Literacy Council is one of 14 organizations that share in proceeds from the sale in exchange for providing volunteers who staff the sale. In addition to those 14 organizations, Bookstock makes grants to other nonprofits through its Bookstock Fund, Blanck says. To date, Bookstock has raised more than $2 million for educational and literacy programs throughout southeast Michigan.

For at least six months leading up to the sale, volunteers sort donations of 200,000 used books, DVDs, music CDs, audiobooks and computer games. The huge array of items draws bargain hunters and book lovers from across the state to the sale. The next sale will be April 7-14, 2019 at Laurel Park Place mall in Livonia. The Oakland Literacy Council is seeking volunteers for Friday evening and Saturday.  You can sign up here.

Bookstock is affiliated with the Jewish Community Relations Council, but is in the process of becoming an independent nonprofit, Blanck says.

Oakland Literacy Council is delighted to have Bookstock as a partner in our efforts to combat adult illiteracy and is grateful for Bookstock’s financial support, which totaled $6,800 in 2018.

View More Faces of Literacy

For over 37 years, the Oakland Literacy Council (OLC) has enabled adult students to achieve individual literacy goals through a partnership with trained volunteer tutors. OLC serves native-English speaking adults who need basic reading, writing, and math skills (adult basic education — ABE), and foreign-born adults who need English reading, writing,  or conversation skills (English Language Learners — ESL).

The Oakland Literacy Council is a not-for-profit 501(c)3 tax-exempt entity that relies on the financial support of individuals, businesses, community organizations, and foundations to fulfill its mission. Your tax-deductible financial gift can be made online, by mail or by Donor-Advised Fund. The Oakland Literacy Council also welcomes gifts of Stock and Legacy Gifts.

In celebration of Oakland Literacy Council’s 35th anniversary, we’ve invited students, former students, tutors, donors, and other advocates to share their stories. Read all of their stories here.

Oakland Literacy Council 51111 Woodward Ave., Suite 720 Pontiac, MI 48342 (248) 253-1617

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