As of early December 2023, Children Read has distributed 153,458 Pre-K children’s books to families in need.
“Books that are donated to us go directly into the hands of children to increase their literacy and love for books,” said Cindy Jaret, Children Read president and a retired pre-kindergarten teacher.
Sixty-one percent of families with low incomes have no children’s books in the home. This lack of early exposure to books is one of the biggest obstacles to literacy and to later school success. Sadly, those who are poor readers in third grade will likely remain so in high school.
Children Read seeks to overcome this obstacle by giving a child eight books for their home library. The nonprofit collects and repairs gently used and new books for ages birth to 5 and volunteer readers deliver them to Title 1 Pre-Ks in DeKalb County Schools (DCSD) and Atlanta Public Schools (APS) and to Head Start and Sheltering Arms child care centers in metro Atlanta.
“Providing our students with access to free reading books that span multiple genres is an excellent opportunity to enhance their early literacy skills,” said Dr. Zack K. Phillips, DCSD Director of the Early Learning Center. “These books serve as a fantastic platform for students to connect with the text as they read and discuss them with their parents or guardians at home.”
In addition, parents with low reading skills can improve their literacy by having books in the home.
“It also really increases the adult-child bond when you read to a child,” Jaret said. “You sit close to each other, look at the pictures, and talk about it.“
Children Read is looking to reach more schools within APS and DCDS by securing more books and volunteers.
The all-volunteer nonprofit relies exclusively on book donations and book drives conducted by schools, faith groups, workplaces, scouts, and more with resources available at www.childrenreadatlanta.org/donations. They’re seeking board books, picture books, storybooks, and those that introduce the alphabet, numbers, shapes, and rhymes.
“One year the HBCU Queen chose Children Read as her community service project and collected 3,000 books for us,” Jaret shared. More recently, The Goddard School of Vinings donated 1,500 books.
Morningside Elementary School (MES) took a different approach, gifting hundreds of books from its school library.
“As we make space for newer titles, older titles must be removed,” MES Librarian Michael Rawls shared. “Finding a home for these books was important to me as the simple acts of flipping through a book, browsing pictures or spying familiar words build a foundation of reading.”
For the past six years, the Druid Hills High School Beta Club has helped prepare donated books for distribution.
“Volunteering at Children Read is a relaxing activity that makes an impact,” said Cole Christopher, a DHHS junior coordinating this Beta Club effort. “While doing something good for the community by cleaning up donated children’s books and giving them back to kids, I’m also able to talk with my friends in a very calming undertaking.”
For those also looking to give their time, Children Read’s biggest need is for volunteers to deliver books and read to the Pre-K classrooms.
“We need readers and we need books,” Jaret urged. “It’s very simple.”
Make A Donation
To donate books, contact Children Read (404-295-0789 or childrenread13@gmail.com) for drop-off locations, such as:
- Children Read headquarters behind Ameris Bank across from Toco Hills Shopping Center, 2936M North Druid Hills Road, Atlanta, GA 30329 on Tuesdays 10 AM – 4PM
- Tall Tales Book Shop, Toco Hill Shopping Center, 2105 Lavista Road, Atlanta, GA 30329
- Virginia Highland Books, 1034 North Highland Avenue Northeast, Atlanta, GA 30306
- Brave & Kind Books, 722 W. College Ave, Decatur, GA 30030
- Coffee Bar Atlanta, 1602 LaVista Rd., Atlanta, GA 30329
More locations at childrenreadatlanta.org/donations.