- Benay Hicks
- Aug 25
- 3 min read
For Immediate Release
Contact: Benay Hicks, Chief External Relations Officer
857-225-5039
Book Harvest Celebrates Installation of 100th Book Hub in North Carolina
Durham, N.C. (August 25, 2025) — Book Harvest, the Durham-based nonprofit dedicated to ensuring that every child grows up in a home rich with books, proudly celebrated its 100th Book Hub on Friday, August 22, at Leigh Farm Park in Durham (view the installation of the Book Box). This milestone underscores the organization’s 14+ year journey of providing children’s books to families and fostering a culture of literacy across the Triangle and beyond.
From One Book Hub to One Hundred
Founder and CEO Ginger Young reflected on the organization’s early days in 2011, when community members donated an outpouring of books that inspired the first Book Hub at the Inter-Faith Council in Carrboro. “I founded this organization having no idea where we were going,” Young said. “But what I did know is that every child should grow up in a home brimming with books. That conviction, and this community’s support, has carried us from one hub to one hundred.”
Book Harvest’s Book Hubs—bookshelves and brightly colored Book Boxes located in everyday community spaces—now populate laundromats, health clinics, parks, schools, and family centers, offering families the chance to harvest and keep books of their own for free, building home libraries. To date, the organization has provided more than 2.8 million books to children and families.
Durham: The City of Books
Tabitha Blackwell, Executive Director of Book Harvest Durham, emphasized the transformative power of the hubs: “Book Harvest book hubs don’t just provide books—they build relationships, create home libraries, and spark joy in families’ daily lives. Because of this work, Durham continues to be the City of Books.”
Blackwell highlighted the crucial role of volunteers and staff who keep the hubs stocked and vibrant, as well as partnerships with the City of Durham, Durham County, Durham Parks and Recreation, and Durham Public Schools.
Community Investment and Support
The expansion of Book Hubs has been fueled by broad community investment, including funds from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) allocated by the City of Durham. City Council Member Javiera Caballero spoke at the celebration, noting, “This is a moment of celebration and joy. I love seeing these [book hubs] all over the city. In Durham, we want everyone to have the opportunity to read, to be curious, and to question the world around them.”
Fellow Council Member Carl Rist added, “Durham thrives because of partnerships like this one. Book Harvest’s book hubs are a powerful example of how we can build strong communities together.”
Looking Ahead
With 100 Book Hubs now in place, Book Harvest is already looking forward. “This milestone is not an endpoint—it’s a threshold,” Young said. “We’re just getting started.”
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About Book Harvest:
Book Harvest’s mission is books for every child, support for every parent, and literacy for every community. Internationally recognized for its work to transform children's literacy, Book Harvest has provided more than 2.8 million books to children and families since its founding in 2011, ensuring that children grow up from birth owning an abundance of books and that parents have the tools and power to ignite and strengthen their children's literacy for a lifetime. With programs that are grounded in evidence, Book Harvest believes that literacy starts at birth, in the home, powered by parents, and nourished with books. Learn more at bookharvest.org.
Access photos, logos, videos, and b-roll: https://bookharvest.org/media-kit/
