Community Champions Series, October 2026
| In this series, we celebrate the individuals whose dedication, compassion, and commitment are helping young people thrive, and whose everyday actions are making a lasting difference across our community. Community Champions go above and beyond to create safe spaces, open doors, and offer steady support when it matters most. |
Beyond the Shelf
Our Community Champion this month is Beyond the Shelf, which was started this year by a local high school student who wanted to share the joy of reading with people across the Twin Cities. Beyond the Shelf collects gently used books at the Saint Anthony Community Center and distributes them to organizations across the Metro, including The Link! Last month, we received over 800 books that have gone to book shelves and little libraries at our 20+ program sites. If you’d like to support Beyond the Shelf, you can check out their website to learn more: https://beyondtheshelfbooks.netlify.app/
Please tell us a little bit about yourself and how you are involved in supporting The Link.
My name is Colette, and I’m a student at Saint Anthony Village High School. I started Beyond the Shelf to collect children’s and young adult books and donate them to organizations that can get them to kids and families who need them. I’ve been working with The Link to donate books that fit the needs of the young people they serve.
How did you learn about The Link?
I learned about The Link while looking for local organizations that accept book donations. I reached out because I wanted the books I collected to go directly to young people and families who could benefit from them.
What inspired you to start Beyond the Shelf?
I started Beyond the Shelf because I love reading and began thinking about all the people who don’t get the same opportunity to experience it. I wanted to find a way to get more books into the hands of kids and teens who might not otherwise have access to them, which is what inspired me to start collecting and donating books.
What are some of the ways you invited your community in to support your book drive?
I’ve been trying to make it as easy as possible for people to participate. I worked with my local community to establish a drop-off location at the St. Anthony Community Center, and I’ve created flyers and posters to spread the word. I’ve also reached out to local organizations and my tennis team to find more ways for people to get involved.
What is one piece of advice you would offer to other people who might be considering hosting a donation drive, but aren’t sure where to start?
My biggest piece of advice would be to start by figuring out where your donations are actually going. Before collecting anything, I reached out to organizations and asked what they needed and what their donation guidelines were. Once I knew what would be useful, it made it much easier to organize the drive and ensure the donations would truly help.