Illinois 10-Year-Old Collects 1,600 Books for Kids in Need

After learning how many kids in her community do not have any books to read, a 10-year-old from Naperville, Illinois decided to do something about it.

Feel Good Illinois News

Can I be honest for a minute? Some days, being a mom feels heavy, and I am not talking about all the stress and worry that comes with being a parent. I'm talking about all the bad news, bad people, and heartbreaking headlines we see every single day and have to somehow explain to our kids.

When it feels like the bad is outweighing the good, we all need a reminder that kindness still exists in this world, and this story out of Naperville certainly did that for me.

IL 10-Year-Old Collects Books For Kids in Need

10-year-old Aarvi Vakharia is a 5th grader at Meadow Glens Elementary School in Naperville, Illinois and comes from a family of avid readers.

Both of Aarvi's parents volunteer for an organization called Bernie's Book Bank that provides books to low-income children, and their work inspired their daughter to continue the mission.

Aarvi told Naperville Community Television that at Bernie's Book Bank:

people can donate books to underprivileged Chicago kids, where one book is for every 300 kids. And those are really low numbers. And I was shocked by this, and I wanted to increase those numbers.

And that is exactly what Aarvi Vakharia did.

After putting the word out in the Naperville community, the Vakharia family spent three days collecting donations at their home, and ended up filling 20 boxes with over 1,600 books!

All of the books collected by Aarvi Vakharia will soon be distributed by Bernie's Book Bank and she hopes that her act of kindness will not only inspire other children to love reading, but to consider holding a book donation drive of their own.

Well done, Aarvi! Your mission will make a huge difference in the lives of kids now, and for many years to come!