An idea born in Suttons Bay has spread across the state. In just 10 years, Kara Gregory’s PoWeR! Book Bags program has grown from concept to some 130 sites in more than one third of Michigan’s counties. It has distributed more than 750,000 books and 120,000 PoWeR! Literacy Bags.
A Suttons Bay-based nonprofit is quietly making a profound impact on the lives of underserved children. This organization, known as PoWeR! Book Bags (PBB), has been dedicated to nurturing literacy and fostering meaningful human interactions in children since its inception in 2016. The acronym PoWeR! stands for Play, Write, Read, embodying the organization’s mission to elevate children’s language skills and literacy through these vital activities. PBB believes that when children engage in play, writing, and reading, they not only acquire crucial language skills but also build the foundations of a brighter future.
PoWeR! Book Bags launched in March 2016, and since then it has worked with pantries in Grand Traverse and Leelanau counties to give out book bags to children. As of early August, the nonprofit had given out more than 21,000 books and 4,000 book bags.