JWI’s National Library Initiative creates libraries in battered women’s shelters to give children suddenly displaced from their homes a quiet place to read and study, and a chance to shield their learning from the devastating challenges in their lives. 

In June 2005 JWI established the JWI/Walter Family Library in Kings County, New York, housed at the Child Protective Services Division of the Kings County District Attorney’s office in Brooklyn. At the dedication ceremony, District Attorney Hynes unveiled a special mural in the library area – a children’s book-style illustration depicting children of all ethnicities, commissioned by D.A. Hynes and underwritten by a private funder. The library is also home to more than 200 teddy bears, which are regularly given to children who visit the library. These teddy bears are generously made available by Tommy Hilfiger.

There are a number of opportunities to support this important project, such as ongoing support for the library in Brooklyn or creating a library in your community. For more information, contact Stephanie Schneider, Development Manager at sschneider@jwi.org or 1.800.343.2823.