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Because Everyone Deserves to Read, Watch, Listen and Learn

Christie Otvos of Gannett/USAToday presenting Books for America Founder Steve Hersey with Gannett's monthly contribution of hundreds of new books

Building and improving libraries in Washington, DC area schools, shelters, hospitals and more; supporting reading programs; and providing children in the Nation's Capital with their first take-home books!

 

You can help instill an excitement for reading in our most disadvantaged children - visit Why Donate to find out how!

61 percent of low-income families have no books at all in their homes for their children
Reading Literacy in the United States

Families living in poverty must use their financial resources to pay for food and shelter, not books.

There is a common theme among our underperforming children - they don't own books.
United States Department of Education

Books for America is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization based in Washington, DC that is having a huge impact on thousands of disadvantaged individuals in the Nation's Capital through its Books for DC program.

Our mission is to promote literacy, life-long learning and understanding by distributing donated new and used books of all types and other forms of educational media to organizations serving disadvantaged communities and individuals.

The majority of our current programs focus on collecting books for children. However, because we collect all types of books, we are able to provide books to people of all ages.  This makes Books for America unique among most non-profit organizations in the United States.  Recipients include adult and youth literacy programs, youth centers, transitional homeless shelters, hospitals, inner-city and rural schools, military bases, assisted living communities for seniors, veterans hospitals, women's shelters, hospices, and other such organizations.

We obtain needed items both from donation drives held in communities, and also directly from publishers. Items you wish to donate could also be shipped directly to us. 
 

Books for America is making great strides in fighting illiteracy and increasing knowledge and understanding - but we need your help!

Your tax-deductible financial support is urgently needed to enable Books for America to continue and expand its efforts to collect and deliver books and more to needy organizations throughout the United States. Every dollar you donate helps us provide several wonderful books to deserving children and adults!  Click here to donate

We have recently opened a used book store in Dupont Circle!  Please click on the bookstore link above for hours and additional information.

Books for America
1417 22nd St., NW
Washington, DC  20037
202.835.BOOK  202.835.2665
info@booksforamerica.org

Latest News

We proudly granted a collection of American Indian themed books to the Native American Mohegans to build a reference library for the tribe. 

President Carter, President Clinton, Senator John McCain and Caroline Kennedy donate signed copies of their latest books for our fundraising auctions

Scholastic Books donates children's books to our book giveaway programs

The Books for America "Books on Wheels" bookmobile program is launched in DC

WE URGENTLY NEED YOUR GENTLY-USED BOOKS FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS!  Click here for more information!

BOOKS FOR AMERICA HAS DONATED:

2,000 children's books to Meridian Public Charter School and 1,000 books to Watkins Elementary School in DC to help build their reading and educational libraries.

950 children's reference and reading books DC Preparatory Academy  to augment their library.

550 children's books to Little Lights Urban Ministry for use in their Reading Heroes program at the Potomac Gardens Housing Project in DC.

525 children's books to DC Coalition for the Homeless

320 children's books to the Coalition of Hope - a shelter in DC

10,000 adult fiction novels to DC Parks & Recreation Commission in support of the city's literacy initiatives.

6,200 adult fiction novels to the DC Correctional Facility to build a reading library for the inmates.  Books for America will also supply the Facility with educational reference materials and textbooks.

1,450 children's books to the Lt. Joseph P. Kennedy Institute for children with developmental disabilities.

A collection of Washington history books to The City Museum of Washington, DC and the Washington Historical Society.

1,000 fiction novels to McGuire Veterans Hospital in Richmond, VA to augment their nursing care patients' library.

425 children's reference and reading books to help Calvary Bilingual Multicultural Learning Center develop their resource library. 

300 classics and reference books to Bell Multi-Cultural High School to supplement their school library.  

875 books for toddlers to the Arlandria Health Clinic of Alexandria, VA to support their Reach Out and Read program for their local Latino community.

30 Children's and family-oriented videos to the Ronald McDonald Houses in Washington, DC and Fairfax, VA.

100 art books to WVSA Arts Connection for use in  WVSA's art-focused programs for at-risk special needs children and youth.

More than 5,000 children's books to Mary's Center for Maternal and Child Care for distribution to the disadvantaged community served by the Center. 

2,000 children's reference, classics and general reading books to the Metropolitan Police Boys & Girls Clubs to help the MPBGC implement an Award for Reading program.

OTHER NEWS:

- Bestselling authors Patricia Cornwell, Clive Cussler, Stuart Woods and Jimmy Buffett donate signed books for the Books for America fundraising auction on eBay.

- Edelman donates $1,000 to Books for America in support of the "Buy a Bookshelf, Build a Library" program benefitting Metropolitan Police Boys and Girls Clubs.  Edelman also held a book drive at their Washington, DC offices and collected more than 600 books for Books for America's programs.

 Books for America logo design created by Robert Cipriani of Robert Cipriani Design, LLC
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Books for America - a Bookstore with a Purpose
1417 22nd Street, NW Washington, DC  20037 * 202.835.2665 * info@booksforamerica.org
HOURS: Mon, Fri & Sat 10-6; Tues -Thurs 10-9; Sunday 11-5