Meet Amy Hoying of 2nd & 7

Today we’d like to introduce you to Amy Hoying. 

Hi Amy, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
I started as a volunteer with 2nd & 7 when my kids were very young. Three friends from college started 2nd & 7 in 1999, at a time when we were all getting married, starting families and careers. I was working in a corporate job and knew that I would not be able to continue in that role after my children were born. I wanted to do something meaningful that allowed me to balance work and family. In those early years of 2nd & 7, we had no employees and relied heavily on interns and volunteers to implement our program. We were able to impact a lot of children in central Ohio for a number of years before expanding our program outside of Columbus. It soon became clear that we needed to staff our growing non-profit. We now have 5 full-time employees, a dream-team of talented, experienced, and passionate working moms who are committed to our mission to promote reading by providing free books and positive role models to kids in need while encouraging athletes of the community to pay it forward. 

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
We have definitely experienced some growing pains as we have grown from serving 7 2nd grade classrooms in 1999 to now serving tens of thousands of children in nearly 200 programs in 26 states. Like most charitable organizations, we’ve seen issues with logistics, personnel, finances, etc., but through it all have learned again and again that if you lead with your heart, guided by a strong mission, amazing things will happen. I don’t think there is anything we would change about our story because it has lead us to where we are today. 2nd & 7 has grown beyond our wildest dreams, and we are more committed to our mission than ever. 

We’ve been impressed with 2nd & 7, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
2nd & 7 is a charitable organization that started in 1999 and is based in Columbus, Ohio. Our mission is to promote reading by providing free books and positive role models to kids in need while encouraging young athletes of the community to pay it forward. What started as a small organization that provided free books to 2nd graders in 7 schools now has distributed over 750,000 free books to kids all across the country. 

Our free reading program pairs high school and/or college student-athletes with local 2nd graders to read to them and inspire them. We provide each child with one of our free books during every visit. We have been writing a new book every year for over 15 years (currently working on #16!), and each book contains an important life lesson that can be discussed with the children we visit – teamwork, sportsmanship, respect, kindness, etc. Children all over the country can read our books online for free on our kids’ website. This program is available for any team/coach/athlete who wants to pay it forward in their community. 

This year, we are excited to announce the opening of the first free kids’ book bank in central Ohio – the Columbus Kids’ Book Bank and Reading Center. This center will allow us to collect new and gently-used books that we can process and distribute to the teachers/schools/children that need them the most. As the book bank grows, we anticipate being able to provide reading materials for other community organizations that serve children. We are excited to provide volunteer opportunities to the companies and individuals in our community who want to give back. We want the book bank to become a place where individuals committed to literacy and service can come together to help serve the kids and make the future brighter for all of us. 

Encouraging young readers is critical to the future of our communities. Access to age-appropriate reading materials in low-income areas is devastatingly limited. We want to be a resource to those who are committed to building libraries in schools and in the home. We want to inspire the next generation of readers and leaders. 

Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
I start each day with a grateful heart. For me, gratitude is the key to happiness. I am grateful for my family, my friends, this community, and the amazing people I get to work with every day. There are so many things to be thankful for, and practicing gratitude crystalizes all of the reasons we have to be happy in this life. 

Contact Info:

• Website: www.secondandseven.com
• Instagram: secondandseven
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/The2ndand7Foundation
• Twitter: @secondandseven

Image Credits
2nd & 7