September is Baking a Difference, with BookSmiles

In celebration of the new school year, we chose BookSmiles as the beneficiary of our “Baking a Difference” initiative. To honor the occasion, Chef John Ward created a special Peanut Butter Faux-reo inspired by the spirit of giving and the joy of reading.

Founder Larry Abrams has been an intense reader since he was three.  His family had lots of books, newspapers, and magazines around the house.  When he got older, he raided used bookstores, finding value in books loved by others.  

The idea for BookSmiles struck him several years ago after he asked one of his seniors what she was reading to her 2-year old.  She smiled at him and said that her girl was too little to understand, going on to say, "Reading to children just isn't part of my culture."

At the time, Larry had no books ready to give to her, but he could tell her about the urgency to read to her daughter.  Not long after, he put out a call to friends and on social media for gently used children's books and a few thousand came in!

Larry stored thousands of books in his classroom, garage, and synagogue's copy room before opening the first BookSmiles Book Bank Cherry Hill in August 2019. The pandemic accelarated growth.

Growth and impact dramatically accelarated after BookSmiles moved to the Pennsauken location.  Over four years, the staff grew to from three to ten team members, and a new system of aquiring tons of upcycled kids books each week:  collect adult books and trade them with on-line book flippers.

 In September 2024, the Book Bank moved to its 14,000 sq. ft. forever home in Cherry Hill - 100 Melrose Ave. - and we are now processing and distributing over 150,000 books each month!

Peanut Butter Faux-reo