Tom Martin lives in Haddon Township and is known throughout Camden as someone to call right away when another person needs a helping hand. From transportation to moving day help, from sourcing an air conditioner to providing a change of clothes, Tom is ready to serve. Tom’s years of service on the Board of Directors for the County’s Interfaith Homeless Outreach Council (IHOC) endeared him to fellow advocates for our region’s unhoused men, and to IHOC’s clients themselves. Not content with serving on the organization’s Board, Tom also ran their weekly mentor night.
Founding the Camden County Pop-Up Library has dramatically expanded Tom’s positive impact on the community. Pop-Up Libraries (PULs, for short) are an on-the-go supplement to library services provided by the County and our municipalities. Tom hosts weekly PULs at three Camden locations: Walter Rand Transportation Center, Cathedral Kitchen, and Near Zion Baptist Church. No one needs to worry about paperwork or fines: all books are donations and readers can keep all of the books they choose. CCPUL has expanded to include The Book Ark Project, which places weatherproof outdoor cabinets throughout the county. Most Book Arks are in Camden and Pennsauken, and all are managed by volunteers. Readers can take a book one day, and leave a book the next, making it easy for everyone to share the love of reading.
Learn more: Camden County Pop-Up Library
