About
Why We’re Here
At Book Trust, all our work revolves around a single, sad fact: There are thousands of children in America who would like nothing better than to read, but have no books.
It might seem surprising that so many kids in one of the wealthiest nations in the world can’t get their hands on a simple two-dollar book. But the picture is pretty stark – in low-income areas, there is just 1 book for every 300 children.
How We Work
We empower kids from low-income communities to choose and buy their own books, all through the school year. And our focus on book choice and ownership is no accident. Studies show that children are much more likely to read books that they choose, and having books at home brings proven benefits. We’re all about helping kids build home libraries full of books they want to read, and helping teachers use those books in the classroom to build healthy habits of reading and learning.
Best of all, our approach really works. Over a school year, the percentage of Book Trust students reading at grade level jumps from 31 percent to 59 percent.
The Future
Each year, Book Trust grows and helps more students. Funded entirely by generous donations, this year we will deliver 1 million books to 57,000 kids in 21 states. That’s a big number, but there are always more children needing our support. And we will keep on working to reach greater numbers every year.
