Community Partner Spotlight: BHG Westminster Treatment Center

Where Recovery Meets Reading

It didn’t take long for Riley Feddema to realize there was something different about the bookshelves lining the walls at BHG Westminster Treatment Center when he joined the organization approximately three months ago. He assumed the collection belonged to the program director.

“I didn’t realize it was BookGive,” Riley laughs. “I just thought our program director had put together this amazing collection.”

Then one day, a fresh shipment of books arrived.

As volunteers stocked the shelves, Riley’s program director recommended a title to read. What started as a simple book recommendation unexpectedly rekindled something Riley hadn’t realized was missing.

“I’ve never really been someone to read outside of what I already liked,” Riley explains. “But BookGive opened my eyes to different genres, and now I’ve started reading again.”

Today, Riley serves patients receiving treatment across several BHG locations throughout Colorado and has watched BookGive’s donations become much more than books sitting on a shelf. They’ve become conversation starters cloaked in comfort, connection, and healing.

“I’ve watched patients in awe because they’ve never seen books like these before,” Riley says. “One patient found a rock-climbing book that opened up a whole new world for them.”

But one moment, in particular, has stayed with Riley.

“I saw a patient completely break down in tears after finding a book their parent used to read to them when they were little,” Riley recalls. “They immediately wanted to take it home so they could read it to their own kids.”

In a treatment setting where so much attention is understandably focused on recovery, books offer something different.

“They’re another outlet,” Riley explains. “They give people something positive to look forward to outside of treatment.”

For many patients, that opportunity isn’t something they have at home.

“A lot of our patients are experiencing homelessness or don’t have access to books of their own,” Riley says. “When they walk through our doors, they know they’ll always find something that interests them.”

Riley believes one of BookGive’s greatest strengths is the variety of books the organization offers.

“I’ve dealt with outreach partnerships before where there were only a handful of options,” Riley says. “BookGive has something for everyone. No matter who comes through our doors, they can usually find a book that speaks to them.”

Witnessing that impact has changed Riley’s own relationship with reading, too. Growing up, the Percy Jackson series was one of the few books that truly captured Riley’s imagination. Fantasy and mythology remain favorite genres, but lately they’ve been branching out.

One recent BookGive find, One More Day, explores what a son and mother would do if they had one more day together—a story Riley says left a lasting impression. Reading for Riley has also become a healthier way to unplug.

“I realized I spent a lot of my free time watching TV or doom scrolling,” Riley says. “Reading makes me feel like I’m growing as a person. It’s challenged me and helped me spend my time improving myself.”

That belief — that books can change how we think, heal, and grow, is exactly why Riley believes so strongly in BookGive’s mission.

“It allows all walks of life the same opportunities for education and entertainment,” Riley says.

For Riley, BookGive’s impact isn’t measured only by the number of books distributed. It’s measured in the patient who discovers a new passion, the parent who recreates a childhood memory, and the individual who simply finds a healthier escape during a difficult season of life.

Sometimes, the right book doesn’t just tell a story. It helps someone begin writing a new chapter of their own.