Yesterday was a beautiful day to celebrate Jalen's life and deliver 1,500 books to kids like him. Happy birthday, Jalen. I hope we made you proud. Missing you today and everyday....



Packing up the books



Sorting and packing books



Jalen's Sisters and Cousins helping to pack books



Nichole Kelly (Jalen's home health nurse and Godmother) delivering books to St. Louis Children's Hospital




Taylor and Myah (Jalen's big sisters) helping unload the van



Taylor (Jalen's big sister) helping deliver books to St. Louis Children's Hospital

Becky Claggett (Jalen's Aunt, Godmother AND master coordinator of the delivery!)

Susan Scott (Jalen's mom) and Becky Claggett (Jalen's Aunt) delivering books to Maxim Healthcare

 

Only 1 more week to collect books! We will be delivering next Monday, December 3rd on Jalen's Birthday.

Jalen and Jaz in their Christmas pjs.

Respite Care Centers will receive books!

We will be donating all gently used books to the St. Louis Arc and St. Charles Community Living Respite Care Centers!! Jalen received services through Community Living and it was a HUGE help to us as parents. Because of Jalen's fragile medical condition and his cognitive disability they provided us with respite care providers from time to time. It was a huge help to have someone come and help care for him for a few hours so we were able to run errands, get housework done and a few times even got to go to dinner. When you have a child that requires around the clock care it can be exhausting and so receiving services through organizations like St. Louis Arc and Community Living are a wonderful, much needed help! With that being said, I would give anything to be completely exhausted again and care for my Jalen everyday.  

 

Jalen's Book Drive is doing GREAT! We could use your help in labeling, wrapping and boxing all of the books. I'm going to hold a community service "open house" on the dates below. If you're available to help either day for any amount of time that would be awesome! I'll have plenty of food and drinks for everyonell! Kids are welcome to come help too!

Saturday, December 1st from 10AM until 5PM

Sunday, December 2nd from noon until 5PM

Please comment or message me to let me know if you think you can make it!

 

December 3rd is Jalen's Birthday and that's when we will be delivering all of the books!

 

 

800 books donated so far!! Thank you SO much! Let's try to get to 1,000 by December 3rd!!

Books to go to St. Louis Children's Hospital

Finally confirmed... we will be donating books to kids in the ICU at St. Louis Children's Hospital. We need 112 new books so every kiddo there can get a new book for Christmas!

 

Jalen's cousin, Anthony, reading him a book at Christmas time.

One year ago yesterday...God called his angel, Jalen, to be with him in heaven. We miss him so much but know he's watching over us. I'm sure he's smiling down at us and is happy to see we are giving back to other kids like him.

 

Jalen and his little sister, Jazmin

 

95 Delta Gamma Kids will get books!

We will be donating books to 95 children in the early intervention program at the Delta Gamma Center for Children with Visual Impairments!

Maxim Healthcare Kids Will Receive Books!

I'm excited to announce that we will be donating 35 of our books to Maxim Healthcare, a home healthcare nursing care provider here in St. Louis. Each of their pediatric nurses will be able to select a book for their patient for Christmas from Jalen's Book Drive!

We are trying to get to 100 Likes on Facebook by the end of the week! Be sure to Like and Share our Page at www.facebook.com/jalensbookdrive

Books that would be helpful

A lot of the kids we will be donating books to have various developmental disabilities and visual impairments. Any books that have shiny and/or touch and feel materials would be helpful! As many of you know, Jalen was severely developmentally delayed. We used touch and feel books to help with sensory input and books with bright colors and shiny materials for visual stimulation.

Need a Box for Books?

For those interested in a Jalen's Book Drive Box for your office or school, please email jalensbookdrive@gmail.com and I'll get one to you ASAP.

Jalen's 1st Annual Book Drive

I am so excited to start Jalen's Book Drive! We will be collecting books for the next two months and hope to deliver to the kids on December 3rd, Jalen's birthday.

Jalen's cousin, Adriana, reading him a story