Employees at Lexington Business Volunteer on ‘Impact Day’ to Distribute Books Worldwide

Lexington, Kentucky, was abuzz with goodwill on Friday as employees of the financial firm, Deloitte, set aside their usual duties to support a cause that is transforming lives: the International Book Project (IBP). Instead of crunching numbers and analyzing data, these civic-minded individuals dedicated their day to sorting hundreds of books destined to be dispatched to eager readers around the world.

About International Book Project

The International Book Project is an initiative designed to provide books to those in need across the globe. Every year, IBP channels over 300,000 books directly from their warehouse to people in various parts of the United States and abroad. Their mission is to combat illiteracy, poverty, and unemployment by improving access to literature.

A Closer Look at ‘Impact Day’

This philanthropic tradition, aptly named Impact Day, is a recurring event at Deloitte. Throughout the year, the staff participate in various community-focused events. From cleaning up the environment to filling up boxes with books in their corporate responsibility days, Deloitte’s employees showcase a keen sense of community involvement. However, for some volunteers, the day was an eye-opener. “It was a complete shock; I’ve probably driven by this place three or four times,” said Christian O’Brian, one of the Deloitte consultants.

Impact Day Activities

Throughout the day, the volunteers worked tirelessly to sort through the vast piles of books in the IBP warehouse. “Granting the accessibility of literature across the world,” noted O’Brian, underscoring the significance of their mission. This demanding task involves not only sorting but also evaluating which books are in a condition suitable for redistribution. Anything unsuitable gets responsibly recycled. The goal: to ensure no book lies unused while someone, somewhere is desperate to read.

More than just a day off work

For these diligent workers, Impact Day is not merely a break from their everyday job responsibilities. It’s an opportunity for them to extend their impact beyond their office cubicles. The event fosters a sense of unity amongst their teams and lifts their spirits by actively contributing to society. “Books are something we take for granted on such a daily basis,” O’Brian reminded us.

Given the staggering statistics that nearly one in three Kentuckians benefit from the services these employee-volunteers provide, Outreach Day benefits both the participants and the wider community. Lisa Fryman, the Executive Director of IBP, acknowledged the remarkable level of productivity when larger groups offer their help, “It’s always so great to have large groups of people come because they can get a lot accomplished in a small amount of time,” she explained. “The longer we have these books sitting here, the longer people overseas are waiting for them.”

Looking to make an impact?

If this story has inspired you to contribute, the International Book Project would love to have you on board. They regularly welcome local volunteers and corporates to help with their impacting work. To learn more about how you can be a part of this inspiring mission, click here.