Chick-fil-A Leader Academy Donates Books to Aiken County Students

Aiken, South Carolina, September 23, 2025

News Summary

Students in Aiken County are benefiting from a generous donation of hundreds of books thanks to the Chick-fil-A Leader Academy. This initiative supports local elementary schools as they face challenges posed by funding cuts to libraries. Aiken High School student government members actively participated by fostering an environment of reading in the classrooms. The public library’s funding issues have highlighted the importance of community involvement in education and resources for children, ensuring access to literary materials amidst funding disruptions.

Aiken, South Carolina – On Monday, students in Aiken County received vital tools to aid their reading skills, as the Chick-fil-A Leader Academy donated hundreds of books to local elementary schools. This initiative is part of a broader effort to support children’s education amid increasing concerns over funding cuts to local libraries.

Aiken High School Student Government Association members actively participated by reading to classes, fostering an environment that encourages reading. Student body president James Howard highlighted the importance of community investment in children’s education, emphasizing how local engagement significantly benefits students.

Participating schools in this initiative included Aiken Elementary and JD Lever Elementary, which are part of the Aiken County school district. The timely provision of these books comes as the Aiken County Public Library experiences funding disruptions due to federal budget cuts to the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH).

The funding cuts have led to the loss of grant support for the library’s annual Fall book discussion series titled “Let’s Talk About It,” a popular program that has been running for over 20 years. This series allows participants to read selected books, watch corresponding film adaptations, and engage in scholarly discussions.

The library is now accepting donations of specific essential books, including “The Great Gatsby,” “The Scarlet Letter,” and “All the King’s Men.” The library needs at least 30 copies of each title to continue providing valuable resources to the community. Library manager Jessica Christian noted that the uncertainty surrounding funding has also raised concerns about summer reading events planned for 2026, affecting the community’s access to literary resources.

Moreover, Christian mentioned that other libraries within the Aiken Bamberg Barnwell Edgefield (ABBE) Regional Library System, which consists of 13 libraries across four counties, may similarly struggle to cope with these funding cuts.

Enhancing community support, members of the Kappa Upsilon Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. recently donated essential hygiene products and religious literature to female inmates at the Aiken County detention center. This effort is part of the Uplift Our Local Community initiative, which aims to provide valuable resources for women incarcerated in the detention facility. Alongside toiletry items, the donations included magazines and inspirational literature, fostering a sense of hope and personal growth among the inmates.

The detention center’s administration underscored that many of the inmates are actively pursuing their GEDs as part of their rehabilitation efforts, which aligns with the community’s broader educational objectives.

In related news, the Aiken County Administrator recently proposed a budget for the 2025-2026 fiscal year totaling $268,769,429. This proposal aims to address critical needs for improving overall service delivery without increasing property taxes. Although the draft addresses only a few of the 53 new position requests from county departments, it does include salary upgrades for 166 existing positions to remain competitive in hiring quality employees. While there are no proposed cost-of-living raises, discussions for a potential 3% raise have taken place in County Council work sessions.

The County Council has also approved a resolution to reorganize Fire District 16 by dividing it among various volunteer fire departments, highlighting ongoing efforts to enhance public safety services in the region.

FAQ

• What donations did Aiken County students receive? Students in Aiken County received hundreds of books donated by the Chick-fil-A Leader Academy to aid their reading skills.
• Which schools participated in the book donation initiative? Participating elementary schools included Aiken Elementary and JD Lever Elementary.
• Why is the Aiken County Public Library facing funding issues? The library is facing disruptions due to federal budget cuts to the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH).
• What popular program was affected by the funding cuts? The library has lost grant funding for its annual Fall book discussion series titled “Let’s Talk About It.”
• What types of books is the library accepting as donations? The library is accepting donations of specific books: “The Great Gatsby,” “The Scarlet Letter,” and “All the King’s Men,” needing at least 30 copies of each.
• What does the Uplift Our Local Community initiative aim to achieve? The Uplift Our Local Community initiative aims to provide support and resources to women incarcerated in the Aiken County detention center.
• What is the proposed budget for the 2025-2026 fiscal year? The proposed budget totals $268,769,429 and includes critical needs for better overall service delivery, with no property tax increases.

{
“@context”: “https://schema.org”,
“@type”: “FAQPage”,
“mainEntity”: [
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “What donations did Aiken County students receive?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “Students in Aiken County received hundreds of books donated by the Chick-fil-A Leader Academy to aid their reading skills.”
}
},
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “Which schools participated in the book donation initiative?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “Participating elementary schools included Aiken Elementary and JD Lever Elementary.”
}
},
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “Why is the Aiken County Public Library facing funding issues?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “The library is facing disruptions due to federal budget cuts to the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH).”
}
},
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “What popular program was affected by the funding cuts?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “The library has lost grant funding for its annual Fall book discussion series titled ‘Let’s Talk About It.'”
}
},
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “What types of books is the library accepting as donations?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “The library is accepting donations of specific books: ‘The Great Gatsby,’ ‘The Scarlet Letter,’ and ‘All the King’s Men,’ needing at least 30 copies of each.”
}
},
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “What does the Uplift Our Local Community initiative aim to achieve?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “The Uplift Our Local Community initiative aims to provide support and resources to women incarcerated in the Aiken County detention center.”
}
},
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “What is the proposed budget for the 2025-2026 fiscal year?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “The proposed budget totals $268,769,429 and includes critical needs for better overall service delivery, with no property tax increases.”
}
}
]
}

Key Features

Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic

HERE Resources

Annual Rummage Sale to Aid Families in Need
Support Needed for Aiken County Public Library after Funding Cuts
Aiken County Schools Prepare for a New School Year
CSRA Parkinson Support Group Hosts Annual POP Walk
Aiken Hosts Annual Fall Story Time in the Gardens
Events in Aiken this weekend: Aiken’s Makin’ and Trunk-or-Treat
Aiken city council updates: Budget changes affecting local nonprofits
Free events near Aiken: Monthly art openings, Tai Chi & cleanups
Free events near Aiken: Secret concerts, pop-up art and guided hikes
Free events near Aiken: Birdwalks, Garden Talks and Historic Tours

Additional Resources

• The Augusta Press: Aiken County Public Library Calls for Book Donations Following Funding Cuts
• Post and Courier: Sorority Members Make Donation to Aiken County Detention Center
• Post and Courier: Aiken County Council Budget
• Count On 2: List of Where to Donate Supplies in the Wake of Hurricane Helene
• Google Search: Aiken County Public Library Donations
• Encyclopedia Britannica: Aiken County

Author: STAFF HERE AIKEN

The AIKEN STAFF WRITER represents the experienced team at HEREAiken.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in Aiken, Aiken County, and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as the Aiken Horse Show, Aiken Bluegrass Festival, and polo matches at Whitney Field. Our coverage extends to key organizations like the Aiken Chamber of Commerce and the Aiken County Historical Museum, plus leading businesses in manufacturing and tourism that power the local economy such as Bridgestone and the Aiken County Visitors Center. As part of the broader HERE network, including HEREAiken.com, HEREBeaufort.com, HEREChapin.com, HERECharleston.com, HEREClinton.com, HEREColumbia.com, HEREGeorgetown.com, HEREGreenwood.com, HEREGreenville.com, HEREHiltonHead.com, HEREIrmo.com, HEREMyrtleBeach.com, HERENewberry.com, HERERockHill.com, and HERESpartanburg.com, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into South Carolina's dynamic landscape.