places we visit & OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS

The book bus visits various Albemarle County schools throughout the year and during the summer. We visit certain classes and programs mostly at Title I schools, such as English Language Learners, the IRC afterschool club at CHS, the Community Based Instruction Program at AHS, and the Bright Stars classes at Greer. 

The book bus is proud to partner with the Boys & Girls Club! We were delighted to be named Community Partner of the Year in December 2023. We visit the Southwood Club every month on the first Wednesday, and other clubs at different times throughout the year. 

We visit campers during the summer at Camp Holiday Trails. The book bus usually visits campers at "WOW Hour" after dinner. 

The book bus is happy to visit Charlottesville City Schools during the school year and for summer school. We visit certain classes and programs, such as English Language Learners, summer schools, and Title I schools. 

We often partner with Charlottesville Community Bikes at larger stops. Community Bikes repairs bikes, gives out free bikes and helmets, and educates families on biking. 

The book bus visits both the Charlottesville and Staunton campuses of Elk Hill. Elk Hill offers specialized education, community-based services and residential treatment programs. 

The book bus attends International Neighbors events and visits refugee families by request.  

We are proud to visit recently arrived refugee families in area hotels at different times throughout the year. The IRC also helped us find translators for our coloring book "Welcome to Charlottesville." 

The book bus visits Keys Academy in Charlottesville and as of 2023, the Staunton campus. Kids and staff look forward to our regular visits. KEYS Academy serves special education students in grades K-12 who have classifications of Emotional Disability, Autism, Other Health Impairment, and/or Specific Learning Disability. 

The pantry was our very first stop with the book bus in December 2018! Nelson County Pantry is a privately funded, non-profit organization operated entirely by volunteers and the generous contributions from local churches, civic organizations, businesses and private individuals. They provide nutritional meats, produce, baked goods and canned foods to more than 275 families each month.

We are excited about our partnership with Nelson County Schools. In November 2022, we started visiting Nelson's elementary students every month. The book bus visits Tye River and Rockfish, and also Nelson Middle School, as well as events like literacy nights and summer school. 

PHAR (Piedmont Housing Association of Residents) is a not-for-profit organization that is dedicated to advocating for and with public housing residents. In 2022, PHAR asked The Free Book Bus to start a summer reading program for their residents. We are delighted to make regular visits to city residents in partnership with PHAR. 

The book bus visits some of our smallest guests at the Early Learning Center program, located in The Jefferson School. The Center provides full-day early learning for infants through preschoolers.

The Free Book Bus does outreach and seasonal events with Ready Kids. We also work with ready Kids -Healthy Families, which fosters nurturing family relationships for pregnant moms and safe environments for young children through regular home visiting.

The book bus visits kids at events such as Camp Hope, a therapeutic summer camp. Reclaimed Hope Initiative is a family-centered support and advocacy organization that provides rest, support, connection, healing and hope to families navigating foster care, adoption, and children with disabilities.

We formed a new partnership with Sin Barreras in summer of 2023, when they asked us to start visiting Townwood, a predominantly Hispanic mobile home community in Charlottesville. We now visit monthly, often with other community partners. Sin Barreras provides translators and volunteers to read with children who visit the bus. 

The book bus visits women and children at Shelter for Help in Emergency monthly and as requested. Sharon  went through both levels of shelter training to be able to visit on location. When we visit the shelter, we often bring toys and special toiletries for guests. 

We are very happy to partner with VIA Centers for Neurodevelopment! The book bus visits all three Charlottesville campuses, allowing students and adults (and staff) to choose books in a safe and comfortable setting. Thanks to a grant from the Perry Foundation, we were able to purchase a wheelchair lift that we often use at VIA. 

We started visiting WARM's Ruth VanCleve Anderson House in 2023, thanks to grant funds from Community Foundation of the Central Blue Ridge. We visit frequently throughout the year, allowing women and children a safe and convenient way to choose books and toiletries that they can keep. 

The book bus has been visiting families staying with Yellow Door since 2021. Yellow Door was born to provide free, long-term “sanctuary” lodging for the families of pediatric patients undergoing cancer and transplant treatment at UVA Children’s hospital.