Books for Brightwater Elementary

On September 15th, a water main broke underneath Brightwater Elementary. By the time anyone noticed, our school library — home to over 3,000 books, our reading nook, and the heart of our literacy program — was ankle-deep in water.

We lost almost everything. Books that generations of students had written their names in. The beanbag chairs where reluctant readers finally fell in love with stories. The shelf where Ms. Torres kept the "if you liked this, try this" recommendations that turned so many of our kids into lifelong readers.

Insurance will cover structural repairs, but not the books themselves. Our PTA has been fundraising, but replacing a library is expensive.

Here's what we need: - 500 books across reading levels K-5 ($7,500) - 200 Spanish-language books for our bilingual program ($3,000) - New shelving and reading furniture ($5,000) - Subscriptions to three digital reading platforms ($1,500)

Every dollar goes directly to putting books back in children's hands. We've partnered with a local bookstore for bulk pricing, and teachers have already curated age-appropriate lists.

A school without a library is a school without a soul. Help us bring ours back.