Pause Bookworms
Pause has the unique opportunity to connect… connect caregivers to other caregivers, connect volunteers to kids with disabilities, or even connect community partners and donors with opportunities to get involved. Sometimes these connections are intentionally planned and carefully curated, other times these connections are more organic and spontaneous. Some of the best connections come from people looking to share their passions, interests and unique gifts with the Pause community.
Michelle Bellman, a Pause mom with a passion for books, has been serving as a StoryMaker for PaperPie (formerly Usborne Books & More) since February 2020 - shortly before the world shut down and just months before her oldest was diagnosed with autism. As a StoryMaker, Michelle gets to help families connect, educate, discover, dream, and have fun - together. After all, stories shape our world!
Michelle shared, “As a family, we fell in love with the books and I knew I wanted to get them into as many hands as possible. Books have changed our lives in big ways. Both of my kids are on the spectrum and until recently were nonverbal. Creating an atmosphere in our home where books are valued and read aloud often has sparked language in each of them and helped them grow. It's truly magical.”
Last summer, Michelle reached out with a BIG idea - to give every child attending the Holiday Shoppe a book to call their own. Of course we said YES, and Michelle quickly went to work organizing a book drive for the event. In doing so, she coordinated donations and collected over 280 books with a value of over $1,400 for Pause kiddos! The books varied in reading level ability, interest and size to accommodate every child who wanted a book. With books about ballerinas, animals, trains, castles, space and many more, there was something for everyone!
Some kiddos couldn’t wait to dive into their new book and even started to read them at the Holiday Shoppe event! Several families shared the book table was their kiddo’s favorite part!
Michelle was excited to share her love for books and reading! She said, “If I can spread the love of reading and gathering as a family around books in even the smallest way, it makes my heart swell. I want to spread this joy books have brought our family with others which is why I felt called to organize a book donation drive for the Holiday Shoppe event. Giving a child a book they can call their own can empower them to fall in love with reading and language. It can bring a family together in our very busy, very noisy world. It's my privilege to be a part of the Pause community and I hope I can continue to serve it for many years to come.”
Michelle - thank you SO much for providing families with another way to come together and bring joy to their lives. In one small way, you helped reinforce that every kiddo matters and is worthy. Thank you for connecting with Pause to make a difference to every child that attended the Holiday Shoppe event.
This is CAN DO. This is COMMUNITY. This is YOUR SUPPORT.
Have a unique passion? Reach out to questions@pauseforparents.org to see how you can get involved!
