Matt Pollock (left) of Harte-Hanks makes the dreams of everyone who donates books to Hands come true!

Harte-Hanks
Through the generous assistance of Mr. Matt Pollock of Harte-Hanks (that's Matt in the photo, on the left, with TL), Hands has a "temporary home" for donated and purchased books prior to their pick up by AIT Worldwide (see below) and delivery to Tropical Shipping. At the Harte-Hanks warehouse in East Bridgewater, Massachusetts, Matt and his team receive and palletize hundreds of boxes containing books and school supplies. Matt and Harte-Hanks serve as a crucial central staging area and an important gateway in getting the books to their final destination: Caribbean schools.

An AIT Worldwide driver picking up books to deliver to Tropical Shipping.

AIT Worldwide
Hands Across the Sea owes a huge thanks to Ray Vargo and Carl Menisi of AIT Worldwide. A truck from AIT Worldwide picks up and delivers thousands of pounds of books from the Harte-Hanks facility in Massachusetts to the Florida loading dock of Tropical Shipping. The AIT drivers are invariably enthusiastic, hardworking, and efficient — they're fun to work with! A special thanks goes to Matt Pollock of Harte-Hanks who introduced us to the nice folks at AIT Worldwide!

Tropical Shipping
Shipping thousands of books safely and quickly from the States to multiple island destinations in the Eastern Caribbean is vital to the Hands Across the Sea mission. Tropical Shipping, for over 40 years the leader in ocean shipping to the Bahamas and the Caribbean, has generously partnered with BFB and Hands to make sure our donated books and teaching resources not only reach the right ports on time but have the proper documentation to sail smoothly past potential port and customs delays. With 15 ships and over 12,000 containers in their arsenal, Tropical Shipping makes it happen!

United States Peace Corps

Hands Across the Sea has assisted Scott Hill, a U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer who served on the island of St. Lucia

Hands Across the Sea assists U.S. Peace Corps Volunteers across the Eastern Caribbean by helping them get books and other learning resources. Peace Corps Volunteers, whose two-year service gives them the chance to develop sustainable literacy programs in local schools and communities, are a great fit with the mission of Hands Across the Sea.

The Sandals Foundation
Hands has joined forces with the Sandals Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Sandals Resorts International, in their efforts to assist Caribbean schools and after-school programs for young students.

Open Books Open Minds
Hands Across the Sea works in partnership with the non-governmental organization Open Books Open Minds, which is doing a great job refurbishing school libraries on the island of Dominica.

Boaters for Books founder Kathy Oberle has made a huge difference to thousands of Caribbean school children

Boaters for Books Hands Across the Sea is very proud to have Boaters for Books aboard as a non-profit partner committed to improving literacy in the Caribbean. The mission of Boaters for Books, whose all-volunteer crew has compiled a fabulous track record of assisting numerous schools and libraries in over a dozen islands in the West Indies since 1999, is a perfect fit for Hands. Boaters for Books has made a major impact throughout the Caribbean and has blazed a trail for Hands and other aid groups in the islands.

some other great organizations we work with...
We are also fortunate to have Dr. Alan Barber, the founder of True North Missions, on our board of directors. True North Missions provides healthcare to the children of Mayan Indian tribes in Central America; visit True North's website to see their outstanding work. In the Eastern Caribbean, on the island of Anguilla, we've met with Runway Anguilla, a local group that is doing great work

The Roving Caregivers Programme in action

assisting the local community, including providing funding for the development of after-school youth centers which give kids a constructive, creative outlet for their energies. On a number of Eastern Caribbean islands, we've seen the Roving Caregivers Programme, which addresses the developmental needs of newborn to three-year-old children in rural communities, at work. And on the island of Dominica, we've worked with Chris Lawrence, a learning consultant who does wonderful things for local schools and teachers. Be sure to check out her high-energy website full of great ideas, Show-me-WOW!

In looking for partner organizations we've discovered that using a boat to bring help to communities in need is unusual but not unprecedented. For example, Captain Mark Drewelow, founder of YachtAid Global, utilizes world-cruising yachts to bring books and other resources to out-of-the-way places. We hope someday to have the opportunity to work with additional groups as we continue the Hands mission of raising the literacy levels of children in Caribbean schools and communities.