Who We Serve
BelieveNBooks serves children from birth through age 18 who have limited access to books and opportunities to read outside the classroom. We work through schools, early-learning programs, hospitals, libraries, and nonprofit organizations that understand the specific needs of the children and families in their communities.
Why Book Access Matters
Literacy is the foundation of future learning, yet significant reading gaps persist. According to the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress, only 33% of Florida fourth-grade students performed at or above the NAEP Proficient level in reading. Among economically disadvantaged fourth graders, only 24% reached that level.
BelieveNBooks addresses several components of this challenge by helping children gain access to books, building home libraries and creating more opportunities to read outside the classroom. Research shows that access to books at home is one of the strongest predictors of a child’s literacy and educational success—more influential than family income or parents’ education.
How We Respond
We collect and purchase age-appropriate books, fulfill requests from community partners, organize book drives, distribute classroom and series sets, and develop programs such as PAGETURNER. This partnership-based approach helps ensure that children receive books suited to their ages, interests, and literacy needs.
