MANCHESTER, Conn. -- A mother and retired teacher, after receiving inspiration while working at a soup kitchen, is now trying to provide needy children with books.

Miriam Stannard Epstein, after spending decades in the classroom as a teacher, has retired to her Manchester garage, surrounded with boxes of books.

Epstein began the Books To Dreams charity over 10 years ago after being inspired while volunteering at a local soup kitchen.

"Miriam and her husband were helping out at the soup kitchen. During the summer months, oftentimes there are a lot of children that go to the soup kitchen with their parents," said Sister Peter of the Holy Family Home and Shelter in Willimantic.

Concerned about the number of children she saw in desperate circumstances, Epstein said that she knew that she didn't to do something.

"I started to think, 'Wouldn't it be wonderful if all children could have their own books to read?'" Epstein said. "If you give a child a book that he wants … and he reads it … he's escaping for a minute from the world he's in."

Epstein said that for some kids, books provide an escape from a world of poverty -- which is a sad reality even in Connecticut.

"In this state alone, there are nearly 89,000 children living at the poverty level or below," she said.

In 1993, Epstein offered to run a literacy program at the Holy Family Home and Shelter.

"I was ecstatic because I see education as a way out of poverty," Peter said.

Epstein then brought her program out into local neighborhoods.

"She began doing a program called Books to the Streets," Peter said. "These youngsters would be getting their own book -- the idea being that the book didn't go back to the library, it didn't belong to the school -- it was their book."

Channel 3 Eyewitness News reporter Scot Haney reported that soon, Epstein's program blossomed into Books To Dreams.

In addition to conducting monthly programs at the Willimantic shelter, Epstein and her volunteers now give away about 3,000 new or gently used books every month.

Epstein said that the organization serves over 130 organizations across the globe.

She said that every book given to a child comes with a label that encourages reading.

"They (the volunteers) take (the books) home with them and then place the important labels in here. They have messages encouraging children to read and the parents. They also have a place for their name -- that's so important," she said.

Stuffed toys called Reading Buddies are also given out along with the books when Epstein conducts programs at the shelter or at Head Start in Manchester.

Epstein said that in addition to volunteers, she welcomes donations of children's books.

"We always need books -- new books especially," she said.

She said that the organization also accepts books that are like-new.

"Nothing below like-new," Epstein said. "In other words, something you would be thrilled to give a child in your life."

More Information:

Link: Books To Dreams

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