America Responds with Love Donates Books to Burned Down School

Area residents are encouraged to donate books for children to help restore a Horsham school. The library at the Horsham Montessori Children's House on Upland Avenue in Horsham was destroyed in a suspicious fire in August.

“The library program at Horsham Montessori Children's House is one of the highlights of our students' experience here at school,” explained Ms. Nona Melnick, Principal at Horsham Montessori Children's House.  “The children visit the library every week to choose a book, have it stamped, and take it home to share with their families.  They learn how to care for borrowed books, and they take great pride and joy in using their school library.”

About 2,000 books were destroyed in the fire.

America Responds With Love® has donated about 500 books thus far to help restore the library.  The Greater Horsham Chamber of Commerce had asked that America Responds With Love help the Horsham Montessori Children's House.  These books were donated by several businesses and organizations in Montgomery and Chester Counties.  A number of the books were donated by Colonial American Bank.  Several other regional businesses and organizations are also helping with these efforts.  Books had been stored in donated storage space provided by Pennhurst Properties.  Books had been sorted through community service efforts of the Office of the District Attorney of Montgomery County. 

Beyond America Responds With Love, three area libraries are also helping in these community efforts.  Book shelves are being donated by the North Wales Area Library so that when the building is fully ready, the books will be able to be catalogued in an appropriate setting.  Both The Union Library Company of Hatboro and the Horsham Township Library have also donated books to the Horsham Montessori Children's House.

“We thank America Responds With Love for the donation of books and all that the organization is doing for Montessori Children's House,” stated Ms. Melnick.

Both America Responds With Love and Colonial American Bank are working together to secure the remaining needed books.  People can bring books appropriate for children ages up to five years of age to the Colonial American Bank at 300 Welsh Road, Building 4, in Horsham.  The bank would be pleased to accept donated books from 9 AM to 5 PM from Monday to Friday.

“Historically, many of the books for our library have come from donations that the children's parents make to honor their children on their birthdays,” stated Ms. Melnick.  “We put book plates into each book commemorating the child and the family's donation, and they are a treasured part of our library.   The staff at Montessori Children's House understands the importance of reading every day, whether it be someone reading to you, looking at pictures in a book or reading yourself.”

“America Responds With Love strives to help individuals, families, and communities that may be overlooked by others,” explains Mr. Richard McDonough, President and Chief Executive Officer of the non-profit. “We believe that it is critical to help restore the library at the Horsham Montessori Children's House.  We would welcome the support of all area residents in these efforts.”

"We are pleased to donate a number of books to help restore the library at Horsham Montessori Children's House,” stated Mr. Kevin R. Gehring, Vice President and Branch Manager of Colonial American Bank in Horsham. "As a community banker, Colonial American Bank is proud to support these efforts to help further enhance education in our community."

Colonial American Bank and America Responds With Love have been working together for several years to enhance the Greater Willow Grove/Horsham Area and communities throughout Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, and beyond. 

“The books from our library included fiction and non-fiction, and represented some of the best in children's literature,” explained stated Ms. Melnick.  “While it is difficult to list all of the authors and book titles, we are in need of books appropriate for toddlers through kindergarteners. This would include board books to easy readers.

“We  are working diligently to collect book donations, to start refilling our book shelves and are doing everything we can to reopen the library  to our students in October.  Even though the actually library room is not ready, we will start with a library on wheels.”

These community efforts are being done as part of the Respond With Love® Educational Program.  America Responds With Love is a national non-profit charitable organization based in Wichita, Kansas, with its main office in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania.

If you have any questions, please contact America Responds With Love at info@respondwithlove.org.

You can read more about the good deeds and history of the non-profit organization at its website at www.respondwithlove.org.