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Nonprofit Organizations

Nonprofit Organizations

Are you aware there are more than 2000 nonprofit organizations in the US active in getting books into the hands of kids?  Some are open to requests from families in the community that want to get books for their children.  Many are involved with community projects and welcome inquiries and volunteers.  And most are eager to receive donations, monetary or literary, that help them fulfill their role.

Our list is evolving.  We have arranged it by region of the country, with a section for organizations that have national representation, and some international representation.  We hope you will reach out to one or more of the groups – to seek support or to provide support.  We are all part of larger community of families and organizations and schools and libraries engaged in nurturing a love of reading in all children.

Organizations List By Region

WEST COAST

For over 52 years, Reading Is Fundamental of Southern California (RIFSoCal) has worked every day to inspire Readers for Tomorrow.  Our goal is to build communities that support literacy by mobilizing school and grassroots volunteers (50% of whom are parents) to bring three new books of choice and motivational reading events to Pre-K – 8th-grade children throughout Greater Los Angeles and Orange County.  Every time a child experiences the magic of reading for fun – and has books they are excited to read in their home – we have succeeded.  To learn more visit www.rifsocal.org  

Cultivating Literacy partners with families of early readers to provide engaging, play-based learning activities and books to enhance students’ reading confidence and family agency.  In helping children see that reading is for them early on, it is our vision that every child knows their full potential.  We currently operate in Santa Clara County, CA.  To learn more, visit https://www.cultivatingliteracy.org/

Since 1992, Children’s Book Project has given away more than 3.2 million books to children who need them for equity in literacy, learning, and life.  While our Book Bank in San Francisco does not serve individual families, you’re welcome to invite staff of organizations that serve your children—educators, nurses, social workers, and others—to visit childrensbookproject.org and make an appointment to Get Books for your children and their programs.

SOUTHWEST

Since 2008, Kids Need to Read has served thousands of vulnerable children nationally each year by providing books and reading resources to schools, libraries, service organizations, and community events.  While Kids Need to Read, located in Mesa, Arizona, does not serve individual families, we welcome the staff of organizations that serve your children—educators, nurses, social workers, and others—to visit  www.Kidsneedtoread.org and complete a book grant application.

Read to Me ABQ is an all-volunteer group of Albuquerque advocates for young children.  Since 2004 we have collected about a million books; sorted and cleaned them and marked them as “FREE”; and worked diligently to put them into the hands of families that need them the most.  We and our partners represent all sectors of our community.  We realize that the sooner parents begin to hold and sing and read to their babies, the sooner the baby’s curiosity, imagination, and potential begin to grow.  Visit us at ReadtoMeAbqNetwork.org

BookSpring aims to build early literacy in children and families through healthcare, education, and the community.  We envision a world where all children have the opportunity to experience the joy of reading and develop a lifelong love of books.  Founded in 2008, BookSpring has grown into a leading organization promoting early literacy in Texas.  Our programs, such as Books Beginning at Birth, Books for Me, and ReadWell, reach thousands of children and families annually.  Recent highlights include the successful expansion of our book distribution efforts, increased digital engagement through our book app, and partnerships with numerous childcare centers and medical clinics to ensure continuous access to books for children from low-income families.  Visit https://www.bookspring.org

CENTRAL

Book Book Go is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that strives to improve early childhood literacy and inspire children to read every day with their families.  We focus on providing award-winning and new books to children in underserved neighborhoods.  The books we provide spark imaginations and improve attitudes about reading in a child’s early years and beyond.  Our mission is to eliminate the literacy gap and encourage children to have fun reading every day.  We strive to choose books that mirror the communities we serve.  We operate the only giveaway bookmobile in St. Louis, Missouri.  To learn more, please visit

NORTHEAST

Now in its 24th year, Read to Grow is a Connecticut-based early literacy nonprofit that operates statewide, providing more than 120,000 books a year to children and families through our Books for Babies, Books for Kids, and Bookmobile programs.  Whether it’s supporting families as their child’s first and most important teacher by giving every baby born at 15 CT hospitals their first book or helping families build home libraries through regular and frequent book distributions, Read to Grow is committed to the power of literacy to change lives and to the vision that all children deserve books of their own.  Visit www.readtogrow.org

The Bridge of Books Foundation, established in 2003, works to provide an ongoing source of books to underserved children throughout New Jersey in order to support the development of literacy skills and encourage a love of reading.  Operating as a volunteer-led organization, we collect books through book drives, individual donations, publisher overstocks, and corporate donors, and then distribute the books through various agencies, community events, schools, and other venues.   Our core belief is that all children should have books to call their own.  For more information, please visit our website https://bridgeofbooksfoundation.org/

The Philly Book Bank provides free books for Philadelphia area children from birth through high school.  Books are selected and distributed in bulk through community events, placement in sidewalk libraries, and partnerships with private, governmental, and local organizations.  The Philly Book Bank creates literacy-rich spaces by giving educators, community organizations, children, and families access to free, high-quality, culturally diverse children’s books.  Visitors are welcome to visit at designated times.  For more than 25 years, the Philly Book Bank has been providing over 30,000 books annually.  For more information, visit: www.phillybookbank.org

NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL

Unite for Literacy offers a digital library with free access to relevant, engaging picture books featuring culturally diverse images and 60+ language narrations by native speakers.  Book text can be viewed in English, Spanish, and Ukrainian.  The library supports families to gain literacy skills and self-determination through shared reading.  There is no account creation or sign-in to use the library found at https://www.uniteforliteracy.com/

The mission of Little Free Library is to be a catalyst for building community, inspiring readers, and expanding book access for all through a global network of volunteer-led Little Free Library book-exchange boxes.  For more information, and to learn about our app to find locations in your area, visit https://littlefreelibrary.org/

Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) works to disrupt the alarming U.S. literacy crisis by inspiring the joy of reading in children, a critical element to driving the frequency, motivation, and engagement needed to create skilled readers.  We know that if we build a foundation of joy for children, then development, discovery, and opportunity follow.  RIF partners with educators, families, and literacy advocates to bring books and reading resources to children in the communities that need them the most—and in the process, creates new generations of lifelong readers.  For more information go to https://RIF.org

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is dedicated to inspiring a love of reading by gifting books free of charge to qualifying children from birth to age five, through funding shared by Dolly Parton and local community partners.  Use the Check Availability link at https://imaginationlibrary.com/ to find out if the program is available in your local area.

Book Fairies sources and redistributes books to under-resourced communities on Long Island, NYC, and internationally to provide equitable opportunities for children to learn, grow, and thrive.   For more information visit our website at www.bookfairies.org

Darien Book Aid is a Connecticut-based non-profit, all-volunteer organization founded in 1949 that improves literacy and education worldwide and builds a foundation of peace, understanding, and friendship through the free distribution of books.  We donate hand-selected books internationally in response to specific requests from Peace Corps Volunteers, libraries, schools, and organizations all over the world.  We also donate books to US organizations in need including schools, libraries, prisons, hospitals, and Native American groups.  For more information visit: www.darienbookaid.org 

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