Toyota and Balise Toyota donate $10,000 to local nonprofit
June 25, 2025
WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – A non-profit organization that provides millions of books to children received a generous donation in West Springfield on Wednesday.
Toyota matched their Balise Toyota dealership with a $5,000 donation, doubling the amount to $10,000.
Both Balise Toyota in West Springfield and a non-profit organization, Link to Libraries, joined for a check presentation. Link to Libraries participates in programs and partnerships that help young readers of all levels enhance their language and literacy skills.
Whether it was sponsoring schools or reading in classrooms, Balise Toyota has helped the nonprofit in many facets for over a decade, so this money all goes toward the mission.
President and CEO of Link to Libraries, Laurie Flynn, told 22News, “Today is a special day, this $10,000 will purchase about $2,500 for children in need locally, which is an incredible help.”
Link to Libraries launched a new fund earlier this year, the Stephen Kaplan and Susan Jaye-Kaplan Community Legacy Fund, in honor of the organization’s founders.''
Money that is raised will support the needs of families and children in western Massachusetts and beyond.
View full article and video on 22 News WWLP.com.
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SPRINGFIELD, MA – On Thursday, April 9th, Link to Libraries hosted its second Celebrity Bartending event at The Student Prince and Fort in Springfield, raising a record breaking $29,000.00 in support of their mission to increase underserved children’s access to books at school and at home. These funds will enable Link to Libraries to purchase more than 7,000 new books for children and schools in need across Western Massachusetts and Northern Connecticut. “We were absolutely blown away by how the Western Massachusetts community showed up in support of children in need at this event. It was a packed house from start to finish,” said Laurie Flynn, President & Chief Executive Officer of Link to Libraries. “We are so incredibly grateful to our amazing team of bartenders who raised record funds and brought in over 200 independent donors. It was wonderful to be able to come together as a community and to celebrate this important work. It takes a village, and our village showed up in spades!” In addition to tips for the bartenders, Link to Libraries also raised funds through the sale tickets of raffle items generously donated by MGM Springfield, Springfield Symphony Orchestra, Max Restaurant Group, Callaway Golf, and The Student Prince and Fort. Michelle Abdow and Sue Spiry from Market Mentors along with Janine and Jay Queenin of Specialty Bolt and Screw raised close to $13,000. The race was too close to call, so on behalf of each of the winning teams, Link to Libraries will donate 100 new books to both Springfield’s Hiram Dorman and Mary Pottenger elementary schools. Both Market Mentors and Specialty Bolt & Screw generously sponsor those schools through Link to Libraries’ Community Book Link Sponsorship Program. Other bartenders included: Crystal Neuhauser (UMass Amherst Foundation); Jennifer McGrath (MGM Springfield); Nikki Burnett and Amy Stec (Educare Springfield); Ryan McCollum (RMC Strategies); Kristin Fitzpatrick (William Raveis Realty); Juan LaTorre III (Verizon); Kathy Martin (Glenmeadow); Andrea Hicks-Martin (Elms College); and Michelle and Ben Sullivan (Balise Auto Group). Tim Cullinan of The New System provided music for the event, and Chris Marion of Chris Marion Photography captured the evening in photos. Both generously donated their time and services. About Link to Libraries Link to Libraries is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to distribute new books to school and home libraries in need. By increasing a child’s access to books, Link to Libraries strives to enhance the language and literacy skills of children of all cultural backgrounds. To date, Link to Libraries has donated over one million new books and sponsors 70 schools in need throughout Western Massachusetts, Northern Connecticut and Boston.
"Link to Libraries" coming to Boston after donating over 1 million books to kids in need Laurie Flynn of Link to Libraries talks about the organization's efforts to get books into the hands of children. View WBZ News CBS Boston story below.
Western Mass News visits Link to Libraries and helps label hundreds of books for children in need.
SPRINGFIELD, MA – On Thursday, April 9th, Link to Libraries hosted its second Celebrity Bartending event at The Student Prince and Fort in Springfield, raising a record breaking $29,000.00 in support of their mission to increase underserved children’s access to books at school and at home. These funds will enable Link to Libraries to purchase more than 7,000 new books for children and schools in need across Western Massachusetts and Northern Connecticut. “We were absolutely blown away by how the Western Massachusetts community showed up in support of children in need at this event. It was a packed house from start to finish,” said Laurie Flynn, President & Chief Executive Officer of Link to Libraries. “We are so incredibly grateful to our amazing team of bartenders who raised record funds and brought in over 200 independent donors. It was wonderful to be able to come together as a community and to celebrate this important work. It takes a village, and our village showed up in spades!” In addition to tips for the bartenders, Link to Libraries also raised funds through the sale tickets of raffle items generously donated by MGM Springfield, Springfield Symphony Orchestra, Max Restaurant Group, Callaway Golf, and The Student Prince and Fort. Michelle Abdow and Sue Spiry from Market Mentors along with Janine and Jay Queenin of Specialty Bolt and Screw raised close to $13,000. The race was too close to call, so on behalf of each of the winning teams, Link to Libraries will donate 100 new books to both Springfield’s Hiram Dorman and Mary Pottenger elementary schools. Both Market Mentors and Specialty Bolt & Screw generously sponsor those schools through Link to Libraries’ Community Book Link Sponsorship Program. Other bartenders included: Crystal Neuhauser (UMass Amherst Foundation); Jennifer McGrath (MGM Springfield); Nikki Burnett and Amy Stec (Educare Springfield); Ryan McCollum (RMC Strategies); Kristin Fitzpatrick (William Raveis Realty); Juan LaTorre III (Verizon); Kathy Martin (Glenmeadow); Andrea Hicks-Martin (Elms College); and Michelle and Ben Sullivan (Balise Auto Group). Tim Cullinan of The New System provided music for the event, and Chris Marion of Chris Marion Photography captured the evening in photos. Both generously donated their time and services. About Link to Libraries Link to Libraries is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to distribute new books to school and home libraries in need. By increasing a child’s access to books, Link to Libraries strives to enhance the language and literacy skills of children of all cultural backgrounds. To date, Link to Libraries has donated over one million new books and sponsors 70 schools in need throughout Western Massachusetts, Northern Connecticut and Boston.
"Link to Libraries" coming to Boston after donating over 1 million books to kids in need Laurie Flynn of Link to Libraries talks about the organization's efforts to get books into the hands of children. View WBZ News CBS Boston story below.
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