In 2024, United Way of CNY and photographer Jess Montgomery | Stay Fresh Design created the “Inspired by a Book” campaign, featuring local personalities and United Way supporters recreating scenes from some of our favorite children’s book (see last year’s photos), to promote our CNY Children’s Book Drive. And we’re excited to present a new series for 2025!

This holiday, help United Way of Central New York inspire a child with the gift of a new book; we annually collect and distribute more than 5,000 new children’s books to families in need, at the Christmas Bureau event.

Shop and donate now at Golden Bee Bookshop, Parthenon Books, and That’s What She Read through December 14, 2025. Or purchase and ship to United Way from our Amazon wish list. Learn more at CNYBookDrive.com

The final chapter in our 2025 “Inspired by a Book” campaign brings a little Seuss to Syracuse with the Dr. Seuss classic “Green Eggs and Ham.” Thank you to CBS 5 / CNY Central’s Michael Benny and local artist Michael Giannattasio for stepping into the roles of Guy Am I and Sam I Am, and Rise N Shine for creating the green eggs and ham.

The next chapter in our “Inspired by a Book” campaign features a collection of colorful local personalities as some of our favorite characters from Roger Hargreaves’ Mr. Men & Little Miss series.

Channel 9 Meteorologist Kate Thornton as Little Miss Sunshine

Syracuse History creator David Haas as Mr. Nosy

Syracuse dot com Journalist/Features Editor | This is CNY Editor Katrina Tulloch as Little Miss Curious

Syracuse Fire Chief Michael Monds as Mr. Brave

Podcaster and CEO of the CNY Women’s Network Alex Canavan as Miss Chatterbox

Syracuse University Professor & artist Yves Michel as Mr. Mustache

The next chapter in our “Inspired by a Book” campaign is the electrifying NY Times #1 Bestseller “The Lightning Thief,” the first book in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan. For this “inspired” image photographer Jess Montgomery captured her son Rowan in the role of Percy, and Syracuse’s iconic National Grid building as a local stand in for the Empire State Building.

The next chapter in our “Inspired by a Book” campaign brings us to Judith Viorst’s “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.” Alexander wakes up to a terrible day, and things only get worse as he faces one problem after another, from his brothers getting prizes in their cereal to getting in trouble at school and having lima beans for dinner. We hope this image will inspire you to inspire a child with the gift of a new book this holiday. With your help, we can make a great day for kids across CNY. A huge thank you to Jack and his mother, Katie Hanlon, Chief Community Officer for United Way of CNY.

First up in this year’s series is E.B. White’s terrific “Charlotte’s Web” recreated at The Haven at Skanda. The Haven at Skanda is a nonprofit farm animal sanctuary dedicated to rescuing and caring for abused and neglected farm animals. It’s a favorite destination for our Day of Caring volunteers, and they can always use a helping hand! A huge thank you to Avery and her mother, Nicole Woodruff (Board President, The Haven at Skanda) and Linda Osborne (ED/Treasurer).

Did you know United Way of Central New York supports literacy efforts year round? We support the Literacy Coalition of Onondaga County, and with the county’s help deliver 15k new books to children ages birth to five every month through the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. Also, our Book Buddies program with the Syracuse City School District connects 500+ volunteers to students in six schools to help improve literacy. Want to get more involved and make a difference? Find your way with United Way.