In August 2010, Philly.com reported, “Camden is preparing to permanently shut its library system by the end of the year, potentially leaving residents of the impoverished city among the few in the United States unable to borrow a library book free.”

Last summer, it looked as if all three of the city’s branches might close. That crisis was partially averted when the county library system agreed to take over one of the branches, although sadly, the main branch of the Camden Free Public Library closed its doors in February 2011.

This is just the latest blow to Camden, N.J., a city of 80,000 residents just across the Delaware River from Philadelphia. Camden consistently ranks as one of the nation’s most-impoverished cities, so when Success Won’t Wait volunteer Matt McNeill learned about the library crisis, he decided to help.

In 2010, Matt organized a donation of 2,500 brand new books to the Delaware Division of Public Libraries for the annual Summer Reading Program. “Why not do the same thing for the children of Camden?” he reasoned.

But Matt didn’t stop with just residents of Camden. Instead he organized a donation of over 500 brand new books and books-on-CD, plus prizes for every library ion the entire county! That donation was delivered today – just in time to reward children participating in the program for continuing to read during the summer.

Want to learn more about Success Won’t Wait’s literacy projects, how to donate your books, or volunteer your time? Simply visit About Success Won’t Wait.

Read now, because success won’t wait!