Tenant Spotlight: Up With Books, Inc.
Empowering Young Readers, One Book at a Time
Up With Books, Inc. located at Pheonix Park, was started by sisters Paige and Ashley DeFreitas while still in high school, driven by their shared passion for ensuring that every child has access to books. What started as a small book drive nine years ago, distributing 300 backpacks, has now grown into a thriving organization that distributed 2,656 backpacks so far this year (totaling over 21,000 books)!
Even after college, the sisters are still deeply involved in their cause. Ashley, using her accounting degree, serves as Treasurer. Paige serves as President, managing grant applications along with daily operations with help from their Mom, Kim who serves as Executive Director. ** Fun note for those on TikTok – follow them at the link below for weekly stories read by Paige!
The heart of Up With Books is their “Every Summer Has a Story” program, which provides economically disadvantaged students across Massachusetts with bags full of new, age-appropriate books. This program helps prevent the “summer slide” by keeping kids reading during the summer.
In addition, the organization partners with the Fitchburg Food Pantry to distribute new or lightly used books every Saturday morning, ensuring that underserved communities have the opportunity to foster a love for reading. A $25 donation allows Up With Books to provide quality books to a child. While they buy most of the books at a discount, they rely heavily on grants, sponsorships, donations, and their annual fall auction to keep their mission going.
Volunteers play a key role in the organization’s success. Recently, a team from Rollstone Bank & Trust packed 625 book bags, which will soon go to local schools, showing the power of community involvement. If you’d like to get involved, whether by donating, sponsoring, or volunteering your time, every contribution helps bring the joy of reading to more children. Visit their website or follow them on Facebook for more information.
Up With Books, Inc.
508-284-7130 | TikTok | Website | Facebook
2 Shaker Road, Suite B007, Shirley MA 01464