A big donation means more children will get their hands on books in Beaufort and Hyde counties.

The donation of more than 10,000 books was made to Beaufort-Hyde Partnership for Children by Jim Fortescue. Since the collection contained both children’s and adult books, not only will  the children’s books placed in 40 “Read and Return” boxes throughout the counties, at summer feeding sites, in Little Libraries and the waiting areas of Read out and Read clinics, but  Literacy Volunteers of Beaufort County and a book ministry with local prisons will be gifted the books appropriate for adults.

“We were thrilled when Jim made this large donation to the Partnership, so that we now have more books to get out in the community,” BHPC’s Executive Director Lisa Woolard said in a press release.

According to Kris Bowen, BHPC’s literacy and outreach coordinator, Washington (noon) Rotary members and other volunteers chipped in by helping to move boxes of books, as well as sort the children’s and adult books.

“We’re going to be finding homes for all these books,” Bowen said.

BHPC is a nonprofit that focuses on all aspects of early childhood development — social, physical, emotional and cognitive — to help children be successful in school and life. On the ways to give children a head start is by reading to them — according to early childhood education specialists, young children need to hear 20,000 words a day in order to be up to speed when they start kindergarten.

Every spring, in celebration of Dr. Suess’ March birthday, Beaufort-Hyde Partnership for Children calls on the faith-based community for its book drive, collecting more than 5,000 books to hand out to children. While BHPC also encourages people to clean out their bookshelves and donate any time, rarely does a donation the magnitude of Fortescue’s come along.

Bowen said Fortescue came across the books through a rental property which previously housed the Washington Book Store and Coffee Company.

“We’re excited to have all those books and now we’re going to be getting them back out in the community,” Bowen said.

For more information, visit bhckids.org, like BHPC on Facebook or call 252-975-4647.