The Book Fairies, a Long Island-based 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to eradicating illiteracy, today announced Rebecca Kennedy Lakhani has joined the organization as Executive Director. In this role, Ms. Lakhani will spearhead growth and fundraising efforts for the non-profit, which collects new and used reading materials and redistributes them to schools, shelters, hospitals, and other organizations in need.
Bringing 10 years of non-profit development experience, Ms. Lakhani will focus on growing The Book Fairies’ existing and new donor base, including both private and corporate sponsors. Additionally, she will oversee strategy for growing the organizations' outreach through marketing, social media and fundraising events.
“In joining The Book Fairies, I am able to meld my combined love for the non-profit sector, a duty to serve the community, and the joy I experience in giving access to books to those who need them most,” said Ms. Lakhani. “The mission of this organization is both pure and universal, with literacy having a positive impact on virtually everyone’s quality of life, and I hope to increase the reach and influence of The Book Fairies locally and nationally.”
Ms. Lakhani joins The Book Fairies with experience in nonprofit development at The Carter Burden Center for the Aging (now part of Carter Burden Network), a social service agency that providing programs for seniors in Manhattan. She also has served in the development office of Greenwich House, a settlement house social service agency in NYC’s iconic Greenwich Village, and she has been active with the Multiple Sclerosis Society's junior board, The Manhattan Society. Just prior to joining The Book Fairies, Ms. Lakhani managed operations of a wholesale fashion business for a decade, where she honed her business acumen as she focused on organizational growth. Ms. Lakhani earned an architectural engineering degree from Penn State University.
“I am thrilled to welcome Rebecca as Executive Director and think it could not have come at a better time for The Book Fairies,” said Amy Zaslansky, founder, The Book Fairies. “With our foundation firmly set after having reached the 1 millionth donated book milestone, we are now ready to amplify our impact and reach in the local community and beyond, and Rebecca’s background is a perfect fit.”
“One in four children in America grow up without learning to read, and it is our mission to change that statistic - the ability to read truly opens doors and enriches one’s life,” Ms. Zaslansky added.
About The Book Fairies
The Book Fairies is a 501(c)(3) organization that collects reading materials for people in need. The reading materials foster literacy and academic success, provide a respite from personal struggles, and nurture a love of reading across varying age groups. Over 1500 individuals volunteer with The Book Fairies, helping to sort materials and manage regular book fairs, where registered teachers are able to take an unlimited amount of free reading material to stock their classroom libraries. Founded in 2012, The Book Fairies has redistributed and donated over 1 million books to local high need schools, shelters, soup kitchens, correctional facilities and even underdeveloped countries in Africa. For more information, visit www.thebookfairies.org.
