It all started one afternoon just when the family was about to sit down for dinner.  Joey ran downstairs screaming, excitedly telling them he wanted to join a contest.  IT was a TV commercial on Disney Channel back in 2006.  The commercial was to encourage kids to do volunteer work.  The prize at the time was a game room and a chance to see the cast of his favorite Disney show.  Joey was 9 years old at that time.  They suggested giving out blankets to the homeless in Providence, this was his mom’s college thesis.  He did not agree with the idea but insisted that he wanted to help the less fortunate children in the Philippines.  Joey had been going to the Philippines since he was an infant.  He had the opportunity to see what it was like in the Philippines 1st hand.  Steven his father and Alma helped Joey raise money with the help of friends and family.  They bought soap, toothbrushes, and toothpaste and gave them out on their family vacation to the Philippines.  They gave out at an orphanage.  Hospicio de San Jose, Manila.   B Del Mundo Elementary school Mansalay, Mindoro.  As they delivered the goods to the school on the island of Mindoro, Joey wanted to borrow book, his cousin told him there is no such thing as a library here.  That stuck in his young mind.  This was when his vision shifted from necessities to books and libraries.  They did not realize that we were raising a philanthropist.  He started going to the library at the age of 2 years old, they would read at the library and borrow books.  His mom would let him walk the aisle in the library and browse through different kids’ books.  Visiting the library at least 2 x a week, spending his weekend mornings would spelling and reading the newspaper at breakfast.

When the family came back to the states, joey said he wanted to start giving books to the kids.  In his moms mind she said yeah, sure, why not this would be a one-time thing.  As the community spread word that Joey was collecting books, donations of books started pouring into our house. 

The US economy crashed in 2008, private schools in RI were closing, books were pouring in and filling their basement, schools would call us to take their books.  Spends endless summers picking up books from different schools and libraries in Rhode Island, they realized it was hard work, but they enjoyed it as a family.  At first, Joey was reluctant to tell people we needed help to ship out the books.  With the help of Mrs Dwyer, Fr Kiley and eventually Fr Plante.  They raised money from May Breakfast fundraising.  Over time they were able to collect these books and send them to the libraries which was an effort that we sustained from 2010 – 2016 with Joey’s efforts he was able to donate 10,000 books in different schools in the Philippines, Oriental Mindoro, Tacloban Leyte, Palompon Leyte, Quezon City, Albay Bicol, and Batanes. 

One of their unforgettable experiences in 2012 was when they had to cross a riverbank to get to the other side, luckily it was the dry season, so they were able to drive over the river and walk up the mountain with his brother Billy who just received a baclofen pump and was unheard of that a child with special needs could travel overseas, to the
Philippines and be a part of his brother Joey's journey.  Schools prepared for their arrival, to show their gratitude they had a mini- program for them.  At this point emotions were high with the principal, the teachers and everyone around.  You would see tears of joy, they were just amazed, the person who started all of this was an eleven (11) -year-old- boy.
  
Alma co-founder who had not been back to the coconut farm in 40 years made a special trip with her son Joey and Fiancé DJ, when they arrived, they were greeted by family and township, the same day books that were sent by them had just arrived after 3 months, perfect timing they said.  The children and teachers of the Tambis Elementary School gathered as they gave out necessities, books, and lunch.  At this point, their family handed down to the next generation, land heritance.  Tambis town is owned by the family.  Last year 2021 they decided to form the organization – Books for Pinoys Foundation a continuation of what Joey started in 2006.  Alma co -founder decide to donate her land to Books for Pinoys Foundation where the library would be built.  The library will be situated next to Tambis Elementary School which was donated by Pedro Brocoy back in the late 50’s by her late grandfather.  Joey is currently a sophomore in medical school at Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island and a Providence College Grad.  He is aspiring to be the 6th doctor in the family.