Bringing diverse books into classrooms
Our Kids Read is a 501c3 non-profit. We donate hundreds of diverse books per month to schools across the United States. Our goal is to put millions of diverse books in front of our children in an effort to create a future generation comfortable with and accepting of diversity in all of its forms.
our mission
Expanding perspectives
Our Kids Read book donations feature stories from a variety of cultures: Native-American/Indigenous, African-American, LatinX, Southeast Asian and more. Our hope is that through exposure to various cultures, the children we serve will grow up to be open-minded and tolerant adults.
Developing self-esteem
Books have, at times, been described as a window into a new world or as a mirror of ourselves. Our Kids Read donates book that serve in both capacities: for children not represented by the books that we donate, the books serve as a window into a different world. For people of color, our books serve as a mirror and affirmation of identity and self.
Fostering a sense of belonging
Our Kids Read donations foster a sense of belonging by showing children that people that look like them have done (and continue) to do amazing things. Feeling like you are part of a powerful positive global community is a natural offshoot of representation. Seeing onself (or images similar to oneself) represented in a positive way in books in a universal conscious and subconscious affirmation.
our approach
Working with Schools
Our Kids Read reaches out every week to schools across the country to offer a donation of diverse books. We offer the schools hundreds of diverse books to choose from, for all reading levels (pre-K through 12th grade). Within eight to twelve weeks the school takes delivery of the books they selected(typically 50 to 100 books at at time with an option to receive an annual donation).
Reaching Communities
The communities we work in are excited to give back to our organization. We encourage communities to take responsibility for ensuring that diversity is an integral part of the curriclulum of schools in their area. Our fund-raisers are county and school-specific: donors know that their contributions are going back into their own neighborhoods.
Maximizing Donations
Our Kids Read is a 100% volunteer organization. That means we can ensure that 91 cents out of every dollar we receive goes directly to the book donation and literacy programs we support. We keep our overhead low to maximize our donor's impact.
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Schools in Our Kids
Read Network
Our Kids Read provides our kids both with books to take home with them, which is crucial in our school as we work with primarily low-income students, largely children of color. Both the books that Our Kids Read donated to our school library and the take home books are of immeasurable value to the children's growth and development.
- Educator, Our Kids Read Partner School
Recent Donations
42 books
August 17, 2021
Gornam Crossing Elementary
Laurel, MMD
46 books
Octover 20, 2021
Holy Innocents Episcopal School
Atlanta, GA
40 books
November 2, 2021
For Love Of Children Book Fair
Washington, D.C
91%
of proceeds go
directly to schools
Our Kids Read provides our kids both with books to take home with them, which is crucial in our school as we work with primarily low-income students, largely children of color. Both the books that Our Kids Read donated to our school library and the take home books are of immeasurable value to the children's growth and development.
- Educator, Our Kids Read Partner School
donate
Make a Dollar
Donation
Donate a book, a classroom full of books or just a few dollars to support diversity in your local schools. As Our Kids Read is 100% volunteer funded, 91 cents out of every dollar goes to the book giving program.
Donate
Diverse Books
Have gently used diverse books you'd like to donate to a child in our schools? We will send you a postage paid self-addressed media mailer for you to send the book to the Our Kids Read sorting depot for sterilization and distribution.
