“Alone we can do little, together we can do so much.” – Helen Keller
Our love for Dominica
The heart of The Leaders Readers Network (formerly Give More HUGS) began on the island of Dominica in February 2012 when founder, Chris McGilvery, and wife, Taryn McGilvery, lived on the beautiful nature island. Before moving back to the states, the children and schools captured the hearts of so many. Without a doubt, Chris, Taryn and many friends who grew to call Dominica home were a big part of the impact and growth of this important work.
Over the years, we have supported dozens of schools in Dominica with supplies, books and encouragement along the way. As we reflect about the start of this journey, we know that our work must continue and will continue. As we continue to support teachers and students in Dominica, our longterm goals are to provide every child in Dominica brand new books. With our partnership with First Book and Tropical Shipping we are able to purchase brand new books at low cost for students ($1-$4 each) and ship a pallet of books at a rate that we are so grateful. We recently uncovered a match grant opportunity where First Book will match $15K-$20K to support our book projects. As we grow our work in Dominica, our team hopes to reach every student across the island. Teachers and principals will submit their applications and we will ship books on a quarterly basis. Your support will help us continue our mission in Dominica. Thank you for considering a donation to bring books to students across the island.
Below are photos from a recent book distribution led by Dominica Student Ambassador Nia Belle who started volunteering with us when she was 12 and now she is 17. We are growing leaders and readers, and any support and encouragement is truly appreciated.
Together, we can provide brand new books and bring the joys of reading to many children. If you have any questions, please email chris@leadersreadersnetwork.org. Thank you!
“I envision a life where we can help each when we can… We serve one another when we can… We understand that we can contribute to creating a better society for our future generations today.” -Chris McGilvery
