Our Reach

Boston-Thurmond United and Book Harvest announced today the successful kickoff of the Boston-Thurmond Book Initiative in Winston-Salem, bringing the joy of book ownership to 125 kindergarten students across three schools this past month.

Over the past few months, Book Harvest collaborated with partners at the school and Blue Cross Blue Shield NC to provide hundreds of books both to the tribal school's library and directly to students through a free book hub.

Woodland Elementary School Principal Dwayne Johnson — not to be confused with wrestler and actor Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson — was attending an education summit when a vendor table caught his eye.

“Nobody was really around them, but the sign said, like, ‘Put free books in your kids’ hands for the summer,’” Mr. Johnson said.

During the summer of 2025, 6,920 pre-K through 5th grade students received 76,120 brand-new, self-selected books to build their home libraries—sparking joy, promoting book ownership, and maintaining literacy gains during the summer months.

Rising kindergarteners at Stocks Elementary School in Edgecombe County waited with excitement on the colored carpet as they prepared to choose 10 free books to take home and keep forever.

Since October 2024, the Books from Birth program, a partnership between Maynard Children’s Hospital and Book Harvest, has provided boxes of books to infants and their families, ensuring that reading routines become an integral part of a baby’s earliest days.

When Hurricane Helene swept through Western North Carolina, it left more than physical damage in its wake. Schools closed, routines were upended, and many families lost cherished books that had once filled their home libraries. But thanks to the generosity of our supporters and the strength of community partnerships, Book Harvest was able to help replenish bookshelves and bring the joy of reading back to children.

It's official: The United States is bookended by Book Harvest! This week, a few of us journeyed to Astoria, Oregon to launch Books from Birth in partnership with Columbia Memorial Hospital and the Northwest Early Learning Hub.

Book Harvest just announced that the bioMérieux Endowment Fund for Education has selected Book Babies Durham for a three-year philanthropic investment totaling EUR 197,953. This competitive international award will help strengthen and grow Book Harvest’s evidence-based early literacy program for families with young children ages 0-5 in Durham.

In 2025 alone, Books on Break reached 10,420 elementary school students in 30 schools across eight North Carolina counties with 104,200 new books. In addition, 7,320 students in summer programs across 47 NC counties self-selected 73,200 new books.

Books for K is more than a book giveaway—it’s a transformative experience that shapes children’s relationship and attitudes with school, literacy, and learning from day one. It builds routines and relationships that support families and communities, advancing equity by ensuring every child has the tools and encouragement to thrive—starting with ten books of their own choosing.

t Book Harvest, we know that a home library is more than a collection of books—it’s a foundation for a child’s future. And every home library needs a place to grow. That’s why we were so thrilled to partner with Hope Renovations on a special project for our Book Babies families: building custom bookshelves.

From laundromats to health clinics, parks to waiting rooms, our Book Hubs are now part of everyday life across Durham and beyond. Join June and Phoebe as they install our 100th hub!

A Durham nonprofit that looks to provide books for children is looking to make a statewide impact thanks to a collaboration with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina.

This week, we celebrated a milestone: the 200th child enrolled in Books in a Box! That’s 200 kids receiving 20 brand-new books and a heartfelt letter from their incarcerated parent—building connection and comfort through the power of books.