Leslie Gang

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Thank you Leslie Gang, for joining me on the Born To Talk Radio Show Podcast. Leslie Gang is the Co-Founder of Hindi’s Libraries, along with Dovid Kanarfogel.

Hindi’s Libraries.

In August of 2018, the world lost a beautiful and brilliant soul, Dr. Hindi Krinsky. Hindi, a 32-year-old English teacher, passed away suddenly from a complication of Crohn’s Disease, leaving behind her five incredible children and adoring husband Dovid Kanarfogel.

A few months after her passing, Dovid teamed up with Hindi’s former colleague, Leslie, to create what is known today as Hindi’s Libraries. The initiative began as a small school project to commemorate Hindi’s legacy with a Little Free Library box on the campus of the school where their children attended. They found themselves receiving continuous book donations at an overwhelmingly fast pace. By the year’s end, Dovid and Leslie formed Hindi’s Libraries, an international nonprofit literacy organization. Its mission is to that collect new and gently used books and donate them to children across the globe at no cost to the recipients. The organization absorbs all costs including shipping costs and supplies.

Since its inception, Hindi’s Libraries has donated more than 800 boxes of books to organizations spanning all 50 states, India, Africa, Puerto Rico, and Israel. Most recently they have joined in partnership with Teal Botanicals to ship books to the Philippines.

Recipients include medical centers, pediatric offices, and clinics, schools, homeless shelters. Along with foster care agencies, Little Free Library Stewards, hospitals, and nonprofit organizations that serve families and children in need. The organization constantly receives book donations from community book drives, children’s authors as well as corporate partners including Disney Publishing Worldwide and Barnes & Noble.

They rely completely on volunteers and community support. Hinidi’s Libraries have collected more than 400,000 children’s books. As you will hear, this effort cannot exist without the incredible volunteers.

Opportunities.

I invite you to visit their remarkable website to learn about the 2022 Females of Fiction Award.

The Females of Fiction awards recognize outstanding female authors of children’s books. The categories include infant board books, picture/storybooks, and early introductory chapter books. They strive to empower and support women who are building their literary portfolios and creating stories containing powerful messages of inspiration.

How can you help?

A book is a gift you can open again & again. There are many ways you can contribute to their causes, and every little bit goes a long way in helping fulfill their mission. Learn more about how you can get involved & help them continue Hindi’s legacy. By the way, maybe you could start a Hindi’s Libraries where you live. Reach out to Leslie to learn more.

Lastly, despite the pandemic disrupting their fundraising events, Hindi’s Libraries continue to inspire children across the globe. It is astounding how just one book can open a massive gateway for children, not only for education but for inspiration and escapism too. Hindi’s Libraries have impacted children all across the world, just like Hindi did in her lifetime. Leslie and Dovid have no desire to stop distributing books to those in need until they completely run out.

Calling all children’s book authors…consider sending some of your books to this organization! Imagine how they would be received!

Leslie’s Takeaways.

“Remember this, never shy away from asking. If you don’t ask, the answer is NO, but if you do ask- what if you get a yes? Everyone is capable of making an impact. You just need the willpower to do so. The craziest and wildest ideas are sometimes the best and most fulfilling.”

Every Hero Has A Story…

What started as a small school project has quickly become an international literacy initiative.

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Conversations + Connections = Community

Making the world a better place. One Story at a time.