Thousands of books donated to children after Milwaukee publishing company closes its doors



MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Boxes and boxes of books are hauled and unpacked ready to make their way to their new home.

"We had no trouble making beautiful books. We won awards I was very proud of, but financially it was just too much of a struggle to get the company off the ground," said Little Bahalia Publishing Owner Stacey Williams-Ng.

After making the hard decision to close her publishing company, Williams-Ng learned if she didn't collect her unsold books from the warehouse where they're stored they'd be destroyed.

"I thought that's unthinkable I'm not even going to allow one to go in the garbage can because the whole reason I went into this business was to get books in the laps of children. That's where they belong," said Williams-Ng.

Williams-Ng began researching where she should donate the books and she came across Next Door, which provides educational services to children and families.

"It's such a wonderful program and I learned all about Next Door Foundation and I couldn't feel better about where these books landed," Williams-Ng.

Unlike a typical library, at the Next Door Books for Kids Library children get to pick out their favorite book and they never have to return it.

"Then they'll have that literacy, that printed word that they can not only share with their brothers and sisters but anyone that comes into the home to have this literacy rich environment," said Next Door Executive Director Carol Keintz.

Many of the children at Next Door are living in poverty and don't have books at home.

But thanks to Williams-Ng, the Books for Kids Library has an additional 2,300 books with a retail value of $47,000.

As the author and illustrator of the first book published by Little Bahalia, Williams-Ng says she's touched to see books she's worked so hard on in the little hands of their new owners.

"As an artist what more could you ask for," Williams-Ng.

If you're interested in donating books to the Next Door Books for Kids Library, CLICK HERE.