Women United
Impacting Literacy in Geauga
Who we are
Originating in 2016, Women United mobilizes the power and leadership of women through philanthropy, advocacy and service to ensure that every child in Geauga County has equitable opportunities to learn and read. Women United meets monthly to review current programs and to plan ways to promote literacy in Geauga County. The average yearly distribution is 10,000 new and used books.
What we do
Programs:
Book Bank
In 2017, Women United established the Book Bank with several thousand used books from the Cleveland Kids’ Book Bank. Women United also receives books from libraries, schools, book drives, and personal donations. Members clean, sort and shelve the books based on reading levels so they are ready to pull and package for distribution throughout the community. In 2022, almost 10,000 books were donated from the community. Since 2017, 46,000 have been shared with the community
Reach Out and Read
This national program is for children from birth to age 5. During a well-child visit, the doctor provides a new book to the child and promotes reading at home. Women United purchases new books and delivers them to the practice. The program is active at University Hospital Lake Health Pediatrics in Chardon and UHMP Middlefield Medical Center with over 4,000 books distributed.
Little Libraries
Ten Little Libraries were built at United Way’s Day of Action in 2017 and installed throughout Geauga County. Women United volunteers keep them stocked and organized so that families have access to free books. To date, over 13,000 books have been distributed.
| Site | Address |
|---|---|
| The West Woods | 9465 Kinsman Road (Rt. 87), Russell Township |
| Chagrin Falls Park Community Center | 7060 Woodland Avenue, Chagrin Falls |
| Maple Highlands Trail | South Street, Chardon |
| Bass Lake Preserve | 11445 Lakeview Road, Munson Township |
| Big Creek Park | 9160 Robinson Road, Chardon Township |
| Walter C Best Wildlife Preserve | 11620 Ravenna Road, Munson Township |
| UH Chardon Health Center | 510 Fifth Avenue, Chardon |
| Geauga Metropolitan Housing Authority | 385 Center Street, Chardon |
| Huntsburg Township | 16534 Mayfield Road, Huntsburg Township |
| Swine Creek Reservation | 16004 Hayes Road, Middlefield Township |
| Rustic Pines MHC | 17748 Rock Creek Road, Thompson |
Community Distributions
Thousands of books have been distributed by our members at local events such as KidsFest, Help Me Learn, Home School Learning Fair, National Night Out, and community picnics. Volunteers also provide books to preschools, childcare centers, and the Safety Center.
Bookshelves
Women United has provided bookshelves to schools and organizations throughout Geauga County. Our volunteers stock and maintain these bookshelves in the following locations:
| Site | Address |
|---|---|
| Jordak Elementary Cardinal Schools | 16000 East High Street, Middlefield |
| Cardinal Middle School | 16175 Almeda Drive, Middlefield |
| The Metzenbaum Center | 8200 Cedar Road, Chesterland |
| Lake Geauga United Head Start | 12406 Madison Road, Middlefield |
Women United also stocks and maintains bookshelves at the following locations: Lake-Geauga Recovery Centers’ Twelve Meadows Residence, Harris House & Murray Manor – Geauga Metropolitan Housing Authority, Birthright, Burton Food Cupboard, Doors of Hope and Job & Family Services.
School Distributions
Teachers work with Women United to receive books for their students during Winter and Summer school breaks. To date, 12,000 books have been distributed to students in several Geauga County schools.
Interested in Learning More?
For more information or to donate books or funds contact womenunitedgeauga@uws.org.
