During this year’s Retail Operations Conference, store managers and other attendees helped bring the power of literacy and imagination to communities across our operating area. Conference attendees volunteered to build 132 Little Libraries — book-sharing boxes — to be placed and maintained in our communities by United Way and its partner agencies.

Anyone in the community can take a book for free and share their own books. In addition to building the libraries, attendees donated nearly 14,000 gently used books.

“This is another example of how far our philanthropic initiatives go,” said Director of Media and Community Relations Maria Brous. “We reach beyond our stores and into what’s important to the future of our communities.”