While working in Tokyo, finance specialist Carine Verschueren got involved with the busy and effective local chapter of Room to Read, a group dedicated primarily to building libraries and distributing books in underdeveloped countries around the world.

When she came to Larchmont, the group’s founder, John Wood suggested that she start up a chapter, which she did last November. “I couldn’t say no,” she said. “It’s a much different environment than in Tokyo because there are so many organizations here vying for peoples’ attention.”

Local chapters raise a third of Room to Read’s operating budget and on Nov. 16 at 11:30 a.m., the group will hold a Rally for Reading luncheon at the Larchmont Shore Club, an event that will feature Erin Ganju, CEO and co-founder of Room to read and Julie Orringer, award-winning author of The Invisible Bridge.

What attracts Verschueren to the group, besides the international element and the involvement with literacy, is the fact that it’s run like a business.

“Even though it’s volunteer-run, they operate with the utmost professionalism,” she said. “For women who aren’t working full-time and want to stay with their kids, it’s a great way to use their talents and backgrounds for a good cause.”

As an ancillary goal, Room to Read is also raising money to sponsor scholarships for girls, who are traditionally denied education in many countries. For Larchmont resident Karen Khor, born in Malaysia, where girls are “second class citizens,” this goal is personal.

“In places like Cambodia and India, there’s a real bias toward boys and girls are traditionally left behind,” she said. “They’re not considered to be as important, so we’re trying to make sure they have equal opportunity to get an education, since all research shows that this has multiplier effects within their communities.”

For $250, a girl can not only attend school for a year, but also receive tutoring and other support. Last May, the group heard from Kall Kann, the country manager in Cambodia at an event held at the Rye Free Reading Room.

Since 2000, Room to Read has built over 12,000 libraries and 1,400 schools and provided over 10,000 scholarships to girls who would otherwise be unable to continue their education. They currently operate in 10 countries across Asia and Africa. 

The group is also moving beyond brick and mortar operations into training librarians across the globe to ensure that children are reading age-appropriate material, said Khor, who is reminded of her work with Room to Read daily.

Her nine-year-old son “is an avid reader, the type of reader where you can’t take him away from a book because he gets so absorbed in it,” she said. “I see this every day and we’re blessed to be able to provide him with great opportunities for education. It’s a constant reminder of those kids on the other side of world. It’s great to try and help them and as a parent, it really resonates with me.”

The Rally for Reading event will also feature a silent auction and is open to the public. Tickets at $50 per person can be purchased online here