Skip to main content

AUSTIN

Our mission is to promote literacy in Central Texas by holding free book fairs for youth in low-income communities. We believe every child matters.

THE NEED

We know that disadvantaged children have a lack of access to books in their homes and as a result are significantly behind their peers academically.

The Literacy Project reveals a stark disparity in book ownership:

  • Affluent Families – 13 books per child

  • Low-Income Families – 1 book per 300 children 

This gap is a driving force behind our program.

THE OPPORTUNITY

Our aim is to help students who have limited access to books at home get introduced to the joy of reading and improve their reading skills by creating their own home libraries.

Book Fair at Whole Foods

OUR METHOD

 

We partner with Title I public schools to provide a FREE school wide book fair. Each student gets to pick one book to add to their home library. The key here is choice. The students get to choose the book for themselves based on their interests and reading level and as a result are more likely to read it!

We also provide books to children in foster care, teen moms, and students living at the Texas Baptist Children’s Home.

TO DATE, BOOK DRIVE FOR KIDS AUSTIN HAS

BOOKS GIVEN

30,549

TOTAL BOOKS GIVEN

14,490

SCHOOL BOOK FAIRS

9499

TITLE I - SCHOOL LIBRARY

1258

PARTNER ORGANIZATION LIBRARIES

3,168

FOSTER CARE YOUTH

1431

AT-RISK YOUTH

SERVED

12,368

TOTAL CHILDREN SERVED

1,997

CHILDREN in FOSTER CARE

9,719

STUDENTS at TITLE 1 SCHOOLS

652

AT-RISK STUDENTS

AT

55

EVENTS

 

GET INVOLVED

We are currently in need of the following:

  • New or gently used books
  • Cash donations to buy books in volume
  • In-demand books purchased off our Amazon Wish List
  • Gift cards to Half Price Books, Costco and FirstBook to buy books
  • Usborne or Home Depot heavy duty boxes
  • Handmade bookmarks
  • Volunteers to work at book fairs

If you have books to donate in Austin, please reach out to Brooke at [email protected] to arrange a drop off or book pick up.

THANK YOU to our SPONSORS!

Close Menu