PRAIRIEVILLE – Books for Boots, a non-profit supporting injured recruits, veterans and the families of servicemembers has a year-round mission to help those far from home not feel so isolated. During the holidays, that goal is extra important for founder Melissa Singletary.
She started the organization after her daughter Mackayla Geralds was in the recovery unit during basic training and asked for books.
“It was very heartwarming because where I was at, there were a lot of girls who didn’t have exposure, they didn’t have someone to write letters to,” Geralds said. “I was like, ‘Hey, write down what you want on this list and she’ll get it to us.’ None of them believed me. None of them thought this was actually going to work. Yes, she’ll make it happen. That’s my mom, she makes stuff happen.”
While the organization has only been around for 18 months, Singletary said more than 3,000 books 1,500 movies, 300 CDs and 150 puzzles have been shipped out.
“It feels really good and I’m glad that it makes a difference. I hope that it continues to make a difference,” Singletary said.
Books for Boots has expanded to send care packages to injured recruits in basic training at four different locations in different military branches across the nation. The non-profit also sends packages to veterans, participates in initiatives to send books overseas and helped sponsor a reading area at Southeastern Louisiana University.
During the holiday season, Singletary tries to make things a little more merry and bright.
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“When they open these packages, it feels like Christmas. You know that’s endearing, it continues to push us to do what they do,” Singletary said.
Christmas cards written by children are included, wishing happy holidays to the heroes who cannot go home.
“Not a lot of them have that outreach or are able to see their families or able to do their holiday traditions because they’re training right now. So this gives them a little bit more of that Christmas-y feeling while they are out there,” Geralds said.
Help is always needed for those willing to answer the call.
“They can have a book drive at their place of employment, they can have a book drive in their neighborhood,” Singletary said. “They can donate on our website, we always need shipping funds. None of this can happen without that part as well.”
The Books for Boots website can be found here.
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