For Immediate Release

Book Harvest Contact: Benay Hicks, Chief External Relations Officer

857-225-5039

benay@bookharvest.org

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Book Harvest Awarded Three-Year Grant from the bioMérieux Endowment Fund for Education

Durham, N.C. (November 20, 2025) — 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.

The announcement follows a global call for projects in which the Endowment Fund received 82 high-quality applications from 27 countries. Book Harvest is honored to be one of 18 projects selected worldwide and one of only three organizations chosen in North America to receive funding in this cycle.

“We are deeply grateful to the bioMérieux Endowment Fund for Education for continuing to believe in the power of early literacy,” said Tabitha Blackwell, Executive Director of Book Harvest Durham. “Book Babies is transforming what it means for families to welcome a newborn into the world—with support, with joy, and with a home library from a baby’s earliest days. This renewed partnership will help even more families build strong literacy habits that last a lifetime.”

About Book Babies Durham

Book Babies Durham is a home-visiting early literacy program that equips families with the books, tools, confidence, and support they need to nurture their child’s learning from birth through age 5. Families enrolled in the program receive:

• New, developmentally appropriate books delivered directly to the home (a total of 100 over five years)

• One-on-one quarterly literacy coaching focused on brain development and parent-child bonding

• Practical resources and encouragement to help parents embrace their role as their children’s first and most important teachers

Over the next three years, support from the bioMérieux Endowment Fund will enable Book Harvest to deepen its reach among families facing the greatest barriers to early learning—ensuring that more infants and young children in Durham grow up surrounded by books, language, and connection.

A Continuing Global Partnership

The bioMérieux Endowment Fund for Education selected Book Babies Durham as part of its 2025–2026 global portfolio, which supports projects that advance early childhood education, reduce inequality, and expand opportunity for children ages 0 to 8. This renewed partnership extends bioMérieux’s ongoing support for Book Harvest’s work in Durham and reflects a shared commitment to ensuring that every child can thrive.

“We are thrilled to continue supporting your project,” the Endowment Fund wrote in its award letter. “We extend our heartfelt thanks to you, your team, and your bioMérieux Sponsor for the dedication and effort you have put into this initiative.”

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 2.9 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 the Book Harvest brand guide, including logos, photos, and videos: https://bookharvest.org/media-kit/

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