Little Free Library and Foresters Financial Build 77 Community Libraries

By Margret Aldrich

Talk about team building! We recently worked with Foresters Financial™ to create 77 Little Free Library book-sharing boxes, which were donated to communities in Atlanta, Dallas, Los Angeles, and Toronto.

Foresters employees and member leaders created the Little Free Library boxes during five build events. The first four events took place throughout November 2019 in Atlanta (16 libraries), Toronto (10 libraries), Dallas (16 libraries) and Los Angeles (15 libraries). A final build event took place on December 11, again in Toronto (20 libraries), where Foresters is headquartered.

“We want to thank Foresters Financial and their employees for their support of our Little Free Library builds,” said LFL executive director Greig Metzger. “Book access can be a real challenge in many neighborhoods, which can limit reading skills and educational success. But by working together, we can strengthen literacy by supporting equitable book supply.”

The November Little Free Library build days were held during Foresters Councillor Orientation Meetings, an annual event for Foresters member leaders to make connections and learn about new Foresters programs and offerings.

“Foresters Financial has always been focused on our purpose—to enrich family and community well-being. We’ve been doing this for over 140 years, because helping is who we are. The benefits of literacy, especially for children and communities, align with what we value as an organization,” said Nicole Gourley, Foresters Financial Global Chief Membership Officer. “Also, it’s a fun and creative way for our member leaders to do a community activity together, in their own region.”

At the events, Foresters employees and member leaders worked with Little Free Library staff to assemble and decorate the little libraries, then fill them with books—often including their favorite titles from childhood. The libraries were then donated to local neighborhoods to help increase book access and inspire readers. Thank you, Foresters!

UPDATE: In February, we were honored to be nominated for a Halo Award, North America’s highest honor for corporate social initiatives and cause marketing hosted by Engage for Good. Thank you for recognizing our project to build and donate 77 Little Free Libraries with our friends at Foresters!

Corporate build events like Foresters’ help support Little Free Library’s mission to increase book access for all. To learn how you can host a build event, visit our Organizational Giving page

Photos from December 11, 2019 Little Free Library build in Toronto, courtesy of Foresters Financial.

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