Books Build Character Holiday Book Drive

My family was invited to the Books Build Character, holiday book drive kick-off event. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

Being a Philadelphia Eagles Fan comes with the territory in my family. My Dad has had season tickets since he was a teenager and he has now passed them on to my brother. I grew up playing football on the floor with my Dad and knowing not to block the game on Sundays.

When I married my husband he wasn’t a big sports football fan but, now we spend most Sundays watching the Eagles and we took our Son to his first Eagles game this summer. As much as I enjoy football, I love that it’s an excuse to be lazy on a Sunday and curl up with a good book and some great snacks while we watch the game.

This holiday season the Eagles Youth Partnership has partnered with Santander Bank to combine my families favorite Sunday activities Eagles football and reading, with a Holiday Book Drive to benefit at risk youth in the Greater Philadelphia Area. The Holiday Book Drive benefits the Eagles Youth Partnership, a non-profit organization that serves more than 50,000 low-income children in Greater Philadelphia area every year with a focus on health and education programming.

On Monday we were invited to Lincoln Financial Field to kick off the book drive with Santander Bank and the Eagles Youth Partnership (EYP). Eagles players Brandon Bair and Jon Dorenbos helped get kids excited about reading when they showed up dressed as Dr. Seuss characters and to read stories to local school children. Dorenbos, even treated the kids to a magic trick that left even the parents wondering, “how did he do that”.

We were also able to tour The Linc, and get a chance to go down to the field. An awesome experience for all the kids and Eagles fans. In addition to the field we got to see the players locker room and the interview room where Chip Kelly does his post game interviews.

Now, through December 15, 2015, Santander invites consumers to drop off new books for kids ages 3 – 12 at one of their 60 branches to help give the gift of literacy this holiday season. All customers who donate one or more books will receive a signature Eagles-branded bookmark and promotional items.

The Eagles Youth Partnership will join Santander, the Official Bank of the Philadelphia Eagles, in donating the books collected to high-need Philadelphia public schools. During the Holiday Book Drive, the bank will host a series of supporting events, including visits by the EYP’s Book Mobile and Story Book Man to Santander branches in the are and a holiday story celebration at Santander.

Give the gift of reading to a child in need this holiday season and donate a book to the EYP and Santander bank holiday book drive.