What is the Children's Book Drive?
The Children’s Book Drive is a community-wide effort to put books into the hands of kids who need them most. Led by United Way of Treasure Valley in partnership with Book it Forward! Idaho, this initiative collects and distributes books to children across Idaho. From early learning centers and k-12 schools to juvenile detention centers, we're getting books into the hands of children who need them.
Why a Book Drive?
Reading by third grade is a game-changer. It’s the #1 predictor of a child’s future success in school and life. Before third grade, kids learn to read—after third grade, they read to learn. But 61% of families facing financial instability don’t have books at home, making it harder for children to build strong literacy skills.
Results!
📚 This year, for our tenth annual CHildren's Book Drive we collected 21,584 books to help get stories into the hands of kids wherever they are — from early learning centers to community schools to juvenile detention centers. Because access to books isn’t equal, and we know that literacy early in life lays the foundation for long-term success.
🙌 This incredible impact wouldn’t be possible without our 300+ volunteers, who donated over 4,406 hours of their time cleaning, sorting, and distributing books with care and heart. You made this possible!
💙 A huge thank-you to our partners at Book it Forward! Idaho, our sponsors, everyone who donated a book, and the behind-the-scenes champions — Women United — who quietly and powerfully made the magic happen every step of the way.
Here’s to a decade of spreading stories and sparking opportunity. Let’s keep turning the page toward a brighter future.
