[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 13]
[House]
[Page 18107]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   MELANEY SMITH AND BOOKS FOR KEEPS

  (Mr. COLLINS of Georgia asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a 
constituent in my district who has made a difference in the lives of 
many students.
  In 2009, Melaney Smith met a little girl in Athens, Georgia, who 
loved to read but had no books at home to read over the summer 
vacation. After realizing this little girl was one of many children in 
this situation, Melaney decided to start Books for Keeps, a nonprofit 
dedicated to keeping children engaged in reading by giving them books 
to take home over the summer. In the 6 years since its founding, Books 
for Keeps has donated 185,000 books to children in 10 schools, and 
Melaney has plans to expand it to 15 more next year.
  Many children in rural Georgia don't have regular access to 
libraries, especially during the summer vacation. Location and access 
to transportation pose a difficulty for many, especially low-income 
students.
  Being married to a schoolteacher, I am sure my wife can attest to the 
frustration teachers feel when August rolls around and they have to 
spend precious class time reviewing and catching up before they can 
move on.
  Every year in May, Books for Keeps sends kids off to summer vacation 
armed with a variety of titles tailored to their interests to entertain 
and challenge them over the break. We have Melaney Smith from Athens, 
Georgia, to thank for her initiative to encourage literacy and to 
inspire students.

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