March Matches: Blind Date With A Book, a collaboration with LA Works

826LA and LA Works teamed up for a magical day of books, creativity, and community at the March Matches: Blind Date with a Book event! With the incredible support of LA Works, over 40 volunteers of all ages—from elementary school students to parents to retired community members—came together to sort and bundle over 400 books into 200 beautifully wrapped packages. Each bundle was carefully decorated, complete with a mysterious description to pique curiosity without revealing the title or cover. The books, ranging from preschool favorites to adult literature, ensured that every reader could find a perfect match.

The morning kicked off with volunteers setting up interactive stations, including a photo booth, tote bag designing, plant pot decorating, and bookmark making. In just two hours, these dedicated volunteers transformed the space into a vibrant literary haven. Many volunteers were introduced to 826LA for the first time and learned about our free writing and volunteer programs—some even took the next steps to join our mission!

In the afternoon, the main event began. 826LA community members—students, volunteers, families, and first-time visitors—gathered to explore the book bundles and participate in hands-on workshops. The highlight of the day was a bilingual storytelling workshop led by the talented Ariana Ponce Olivares. Attendees worked in groups, using an image as inspiration to create a character, setting, and conflict. With guidance from our UCLA College Corps fellows, they crafted unique and imaginative stories, proving that everyone has the power to be a writer.

The event drew over 50 enthusiastic participants who left not only with a book but also with a renewed love for storytelling and creativity. A huge thank you to LA Works for generously donating books and making this event possible through their incredible volunteer recruitment, and to Village Well Books & Coffee for their incredible support in providing books for our community. Thanks to them, 826LA continues to inspire and uplift readers and writers of all ages.

We can’t wait to keep building connections through the power of words—see you at the next event!