June 2021 Newsletter
Dear Friends of Harper’s Corner,

One year ago, the idea for Harper’s Corner emerged from sadness and frustration over the George Floyd killing into a call for action. What could a few local parents do to help our community build greater understanding, kindness and respect for all? Our solution: donate books to public elementary schools so kids can read stories about differences and learn about diversity and inclusion.

Community Response
We’ve had overwhelmingly positive responses from school administrators, teachers, librarians and families. They’re telling us that Harper’s Corner is addressing critical unmet needs for more diverse content in our school libraries and for ways to help educators and families have conversations about differences. Harper’s Corner books serve as a catalyst for greater awareness and acceptance.

Our Impact
With growing financial support from individual donors, foundations and corporations, today Harper’s Corner is an established, volunteer-driven non-profit in Central Ohio. So far, we’ve donated 3,350 books to 31 public elementary schools in seven districts, reaching more than 15,000 kids. This summer we’re more than doubling our reach with donations to 36 more schools in four additional districts – including Columbus City Schools -- thanks to a new grant through the Ohio Department of Education (see 'Belonging Through Books' article below).

What's Ahead
As part of our Harper’s Corner community, you’ve already helped put thousands of impactful books on elementary school library shelves. We look forward to your ongoing support, feedback and ideas so we can continue to fulfill our mission of expanding minds and growing hearts … one book at a time.
Julia Hanna
President and Founder
Better Together: Goal and Beyond by June 9
We’ve already exceeded our $5,000 goal in the Better Together project sponsored by The Columbus Foundation! Launched May 5, this time-sensitive project will enable us to provide at least 500 more books to additional schools currently on our waitlist.

Thanks to all the donors – many new to Harper’s Corner – who helped meet the $5,000 project goal. The great news is there’s still time to donate before the project closes on June 9 – and you can multiply your gift thanks to an anonymous donor who will match up to $500 in new contributions.

There are two easy ways to donate to the Harper's Corner Better Together project :

  • Mobile: Text BT16095 to 614 230-0347 and receive a direct link from The Columbus Foundation to donate immediately to the Harper's Corner Better Together project.


We deeply appreciate the support of The Columbus Foundation and its community experts who recommended Harper’s Corner for this Better Together project because of our approach to meeting immediate needs with smart solutions. 
“Thanks to the incredible donation from Harper’s Corner, so many of our students have had that moment of genuine excitement because they are finally seeing themselves in a book in their very own school library.”

 - Elementary School Principal
'Belonging Through Books' Grant Adds 36 More Schools
We’re very busy this summer ordering and processing 5,400 additional books going to 36 schools serving nearly 17,000 students in four new districts: Columbus City Schools, Reynoldsburg City Schools, Whitehall City Schools and South-Western City Schools.

A major expansion for Harper’s Corner, these book donations are made possible through our partnership with WOSU Classroom, which received a joint grant with us from RemotEDx, a state-level initiative for reimagining the future of education in Ohio. The grant supports “Belonging Through Books,” a program that focuses on the need to create diverse and inclusive material for educators and students.

Along with our Harper’s Corner book donations, WOSU Classroom will provide professional development resources to help teachers and librarians engage with students on book content and diversity and inclusion themes. The 18-month program will also feature engaging, digital read-aloud videos to make it easier for teachers and school librarians to share stories with their students in multiple settings.

We’re thrilled to be working with our WOSU Classroom partners on this major project supported by the State of Ohio.
Featured Book: Black is a Rainbow Color by Angela Joy
A young child realizes Black history and culture are as stunning and beautiful as any rainbow. The work is rich on many levels with rhyming engaging text, colorful illustrations, historical and cultural references, as well as a playlist, three poems and backmatter explaining the context for each page. This picture book is extraordinary and begs to be read, shared and explored over and over by children ages preschool and up with their adult. 
 
Our School Partnerships
Harper’s Corner has donated more than 3,350 books to the Bexley, Gahanna, Grandview Heights, Groveport Madison, Jonathan Alder, Upper Arlington and Worthington school districts, reaching more than 15,000 students.

We will donate an additional 5,400 books this summer to the Columbus, Reynoldsburg, Whitehall and South-Western school districts, impacting an additional 17,000 students.

New districts on our waitlist are Dublin and Westerville, with requests for 2,000-plus books for 12 schools with more than 4,400 students. 
 
We deeply appreciate our amazing volunteers for the commitment, energy, creativity and time you give to Harper's Corner!
June: Celebrating Pride Month 
Pride Month is a month-long observance in celebration of LGBTQ+ people and the history, culture and contributions of LGBTQ+ people and their communities. Honoring the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan, Pride Month is celebrated by millions of LGBTQ+ people and allies worldwide with parades, community events and educational sessions.

Our Harper's Corner curated book list includes titles with LGBTQ+ and gender/identity themes.
Contact Harper's Corner
Address: Harper’s Corner Foundation Inc., P.O. Box 12662, Columbus OH 43212
Harper’s Corner Foundation Incorporated is a non-profit in the State of Ohio, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt.

© 2021, Harper’s Corner Foundation Incorporated