DeKALB | Safe Passage, DeKalb’s domestic violence intervention and prevention agency, has found a way to bring the gift of books and literacy to less fortunate children in the area.

This holiday season, the agency is conducting a book drive through Barnes & Noble, 2439 Sycamore Road.

Every year, each of the bookstore’s locations choose to support local charities or organizations they feel would most benefit from the drive.

“We wanted to choose someone who might otherwise have been overlooked,” said Mary McGinn, the community relations manager for Barnes & Noble. “With Safe Passage, we thought, ‘Here’s a group of people in a residential environment who might be at a disadvantage.’ We wanted to tip the scale in their favor.”

Donations were accepted starting Nov. 1 and will be taken through Dec. 31. McGinn said last year’s holiday drive managed to pull in more than 1,000 books.

“People have been phenomenally generous this year,” McGinn said. “In less than three weeks, we have been able to collect 237 books and complete our goal of an average of three books per child for the 91 kids Safe Passage has on their list.”

Most of the kids are between ages 9 and 13. There are also a couple of 18-year-olds and some as young as 2 months old, she said.

“We have a week where we turn into toy central,” said Cynthia Folgate, the community resource director for Safe Passage. “Businesses donate things for their kids, and parents are able to come in and select two to three nice Christmas presents for each of their children.”

Ryan Kreutziger, a senior corporate communication major, likes what Barnes & Noble is doing.

“I believe it is vital for local businesses to support the community,” he said.

The event — set to run the week of Dec. 11 — is open to current clients of Safe Passage by appointment only. Plans for three gift rooms have been made.

One will contain items geared toward teens, and the other toward younger children. A third room will be available for children to pick a present for their providing parent, Folgate said.

“Reading is so important and can be a bonding experience between parent and child,” said Folgate. “We are so grateful to Barnes & Noble for providing this type of opportunity to our clients.”