Book Wish Blog

As we near our goal of gathering 1,750 pairs of reading glasses for Darfur refugees and villagers in eastern Chad, a few companies, organizations, and individuals are stepping forward to ensure we fully meet the needs of these people in crisis. Birmingham Vision Care of Bloomfield Township, Michigan is just such a company. Their 43 pairs bring us closer to our target, not only in their quantity, but also in their quality and features.

"In legacy of our high school that fostered learning and success," alumni of Crispus Attucks High School in Indianapolis, Indiana have donated $300 to the Book Wish Foundation's reading relief project in eastern Chad, completing the funding for a second shipment of ESL books for Darfur refugees learning English.

Under the leadership of Class President Kenneth D. Adams, Jr., the Crispus Attucks High School Alumni Class of 1954 identified the Book Wish project as an "opportunity to be of service."

Darfuri students in refugee camps in eastern Chad are receiving help from their peers a world away in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The Hillel Foundation at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, a Jewish student organization, held a bake sale in April to raise funds for Book Wish's reading relief project in Chad. Initiated by library and information science graduate student Jennifer McNaughton, the event brought in more than $100.

Dr. Walter Drill, an optometrist in private practice in Lansdale, Pennsylvania, has donated 246 pairs of eyeglasses and 1565 eyeglass cases for current and future Book Wish Foundation projects. Dr. Drill's donation comes in response to our call for reading glasses, published free of charge by the American Optometric Association in its newsletter AOA News. Thank you Dr. Drill for your generosity, and thank you AOA for helping us reach the optometric community!

June 26 was a day for celebration in the Bredjing Refugee Camp in eastern Chad, as the Book Wish Foundation's first shipment of books from the Headway English course arrived. Despite serious security incidents in the area, which had paralyzed transportation, our partners on the ground, CORD, safely delivered the 269 books to the grateful Darfuris, who place so much hope in learning English.

Yes, you read the title right, 278 pairs of reading glasses! Smart Eyes, LLC is the company that has just supplied more than half the needs of a refugee camp, with the largest donation of reading glasses so far to our Chad/Darfur project.

What's particularly impressive about this donation is that Smart Eyes isn't a giant optical chain, it's a home-based business with a giant heart.

ClearVision Optical, one of the world's leading wholesale distributors of prescription eyewear and sunwear, has donated 100 designer cases to protect reading glasses being sent to Darfur refugee camps and villages in eastern Chad. By keeping the glasses in good reading condition, this donation will result in many additional hours of education and enjoyment.

Davis Vision, one of America's leading managed vision and eyecare providers, has just donated 51 pairs of reading glasses for Darfur refugees and villagers in eastern Chad. Book Wish Foundation is delighted to have such a big name in the eyecare industry supporting our reading relief project.

The first shipment of Headway English Language books for the Darfur refugees in Chad leave London's Heathrow Airport. Pictured are Brian Godfrey of Air France, and his team of handlers, who ensured a speedy delivery to the Chadian capital N'Djamena, via Paris.