East New York Farms and New York Cares Partner with Brooklyn Book Bodega to Bring Free Books to Families
By jourdan hercsek
Every Saturday from June to November, Brooklyn Book Bodega partners with East New York Farms and New York Cares at the East New York Farmers Market. Together, we offer children something not usually found on weekly grocery run: a chance to choose books of their own.
While families shop for fresh, locally grown food, they can also take home free stories that nurture the minds of their young readers. The ability to take home new books without weighing them against grocery costs is an opportunity welcomed by many market patrons. This partnership has also allowed Brooklyn Book Bodega to expand our work deeper into Brooklyn and East New York, often reaching areas where book access might be limited and helping more families start home libraries of their own.
Over the years, the book tent has become a place for the community to come together, creating a space where people can access the resource of free books and where children can stay engaged and play. The community often tells us that before visiting the tent, they felt they had “too few books” at home, and that receiving the books has made a positive impact on their household. Improving access to fresh food and improving access to books address different needs, but both are pieces of building a resilient community.
These weekly giveaways wouldn’t be possible without the dedication from East New York Farms and New York Cares. Recently, we invited Ariella Riapos, Project Director from East New York Farms and Adam Maldonado, Specialist, Community Relations & Program Design from New York Cares to share their reflections on the power of literacy and community-rooted work. Read on to learn more about our impact together and what can happen when organizations unite with a shared purpose.
Can you briefly tell us about East New York Farms’ mission and the communities you serve?
Ariella: The mission of East New York Farms is to organize youth and adults to address food justice in our community by promoting local sustainable agriculture and community led economic development. We serve the residents of East New York–our community is Black, Latine, Caribbean and South Asian.
New York Cares has been an incredible partner in helping mobilize volunteers for our East New York Farms events. Can you share a bit about New York Cares’ mission and what drives your community engagement work?
Adam: For a long time, the official mission of New York Cares was “to meet pressing community needs by mobilizing New Yorkers in volunteer service”. While that’s still true, it’s not our official mission statement anymore because we do much more. What drives my community engagement work is that there are so many ways to support our fellow New Yorkers through collaboration and collective support beyond what most people think is possible.
Our collaboration at the market also includes amazing volunteers from New York Cares. What has your experience been like collaborating with both Brooklyn Book Bodega and New York Cares through the farmers market?
Ariella: Working with Brooklyn Book Bodega has been an enriching experience over the last few years. It has been wonderful to build a consistent partnership and bring free books and activities to our weekly Farmers Market. Through New York Cares, we have welcomed many volunteers over the years, and our team leaders have been a joy to work with and dedicated to making the experience special for our market patrons.
Can you tell us more about your experience supporting East New York Farms and Brooklyn Book Bodega through volunteer coordination?
Adam: One of my favorite things to do is talk to our community partners and see what’s possible and how we can get multiple organizations to work together. East New York Farms and Brooklyn Book Bodega started working together before New York Cares got involved. However, the addition of New York Cares and the overall partnership is a great example of what I hope to do and continue doing with other partners and organizations, which is seeing how we can combine our powers to create something better than if we didn’t.
Brooklyn Book Bodega has been giving away books at the East New York Farmers Market throughout the summer and fall. What kind of impact have you seen from the book giveaways or events we’ve done together?
Ariella: The biggest impact has been seeing kids and families connect with the book giveaways and walk away from our market with an excitement to read. There have been many times when a child at our market is starting to get impatient with the shopping, and having a space for them to play and learn and take stories home with them has really alleviated the stressors faced by parents and guardians at the market. Additionally, seeing our high school interns visit the table and take home some books for themselves has been really positive for us, some have even shared their love of reading with each other and started their own informal book club!
Volunteerism is at the heart of your mission. How does volunteerism, especially in literacy, contribute to building stronger, more connected communities in NYC?
Adam: Volunteerism has so many benefits beyond what people see. There are the obvious things like helping people get food and educating children, but what people don’t usually think about is the benefits to the volunteers themselves. People are able to feel a greater sense of self-esteem, develop skills, and build community among other things. There are also the residual benefits to the people who are served.
For instance, when it comes to literacy, the children aren’t just learning or improving their reading abilities. They are learning social skills by interacting with people they might not have otherwise interacted with. They are learning to associate reading with fun and recreation instead of simply as something that’s just done in school to get good grades. The things that seem small can echo in big ways.
Access to fresh food and access to books may seem different, but they both strengthen communities. How do you see access to books and literacy connecting with the broader goals of food justice and community wellness at East New York Farms?
Ariella: There is no justice movement that is not connected to every other movement for justice. Food justice ties into environmental, racial and gender based justice, equitable education and resources to our communities, and overall wellbeing. Literacy is a part of this as it strengthens our communities by making us more resilient and able to build up the next generation to inherit leadership.
Reading can open doors to opportunity just like volunteering can. How do you see collaborations like this shaping the future of community-based service in New York City?
Adam: I think reading and volunteering can work in tandem to create communities with people who are more confident in themselves and more committed to helping others in need. Literacy is foundational to learning and volunteering can be a great way to put learning into practice.
What makes this partnership meaningful for the families and community members you serve?
Ariella: Our partnership with the Brooklyn Book Bodega allows us to build a robust space for the community to engage in. Families come to the Farmers Market and don't see it as just a place to get groceries and go, but a space to learn, get resources, and engage in community work. Children are able to play and read at the BBB tent while their parents shop or attend a cooking demonstration, helping ensure the market remains an intergenerational space.
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The collaboration with East New York Farms and New York Cares shows what’s possible when organizations unite around all aspects of community wellness. Through this partnership, the market has become a space where families can nourish both body and mind, and thousands of readers in East New York have more books of their own. We’re proud of the impact we’ve made this season and look forward to continuing this work in the years to come.
Jourdan Hercsek is Brooklyn Book Bodega’s Communications Associate.
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