FIX YOUR CAR | DONATE A BOOK

Choose a book to donate every odd-numbered visit to Today’s European Cars. Books are then distributed to low-income Houstonians by Books Between Kids.

Books Between Kids collects new and gently used books to share with their partner schools and community organizations.  Children are able to select six books to take home to start their own home libraries. 

Countless studies link book ownership to staying in school, leveling the performance between low-income and affluent students and minimizing the “summer slide.”  Because young students think of themselves as book owners, they continue to practice hard-earned reading skills, collect success and stay in school longer.  Researchers estimate that, after nine or 10 summers, most low-income kids are nearly three years behind their peers in reading alone.  Middle-class kids typically build skills in the summer with camp, vacations and trips to museums and nature centers.

Since 2012, Books Between Kids has distributed more than 1,700,000 books to thousands of children in 44 zip codes throughout Houston. 

The neighborhoods behind Today’s European Cars are filled with immigrant families in low-income apartments.  These families walk through our parking lot on the way to the Richmond Avenue bus stops.  We wondered if there was a simple way to help our neighbors and looked for a community partner.  Books Between Kids is a perfect fit.

In our lobby, you’ll find a bookshelf of new and used books that we buy from Amazon, garage sales, Craigs List or wherever. 

On your odd-numbered visits (first, third, fifth, etc.) you can choose a book from the shelf and place it in the donation box.  We’ll take it from there.

You can also help:

• Donate new or gently-used children's books to the bookcase or Little Free Library
• Leave a few bucks for us to buy a book at our next order
• Choose a book to donate from the Amazon wish list.

Books Between Kids has some simple guidelines for the types of books needed.  Read them here: Book Guidelines – Books Between Kids