A project of Walnut Street Bookkeeping
Every Kid Deserves Access to Books.
We ship bookshelves stocked with new and like-new children's books to shelters across the country, completely free. The books belong to the shelter, and every child who walks through the door has access.
Our Mission
A child in a shelter deserves the same joy of reading as any other child. A bookshelf full of stories can be a lifeline: a place of wonder, comfort, and possibility.
Tannenbaum Libraries partners with shelters nationwide to ship bookshelves with carefully curated books, at no cost to the shelter. The books belong to the shelter permanently, so every child who stays there has free, open access to read, explore, and keep reading.
Proudly funded by Walnut Street Bookkeeping.
Why is a bookkeeping business donating children's books? The owner is a lifelong book lover on a mission to make a difference, one book at a time. Read her story →
Simple & Free
How It Works
Your Shelter Applies
Fill out our simple application. Tell us about your shelter and the children you serve. There's no cost, no catch, and no complicated process.
Books Are Curated
We hand-select around 100 new and like-new children's books: age-appropriate, diverse, and full of stories that spark imagination.
Your Bookshelf Arrives
We ship an easy-to-assemble bookshelf and approximately 100 books straight to your shelter. You put it together, fill it up, and every child in your care has open access.
* Already have a shelf or reading space but need books to fill it? We offer a books-only option (approximately 50 books) for shelters that just need a collection. Select that option on the application.
Our Impact
Every big mission starts with one.
We just delivered our first shelf. One hundred books are now in the hands of children who need them. This is day one.
We're underway
1
Shelf Delivered
and counting
Just the start
150
Books Donated
new and like-new titles
Growing
1 City
Reached So Far
more to come
These numbers will keep growing. Check back as we reach more shelters.
One Shelf at a Time
"
…study shows a dramatic and positive link between a fun and simple activity—reading for pleasure in early childhood—and better cognition, mental health, and educational attainment in adolescence.
Free for Every Shelter
Is Your Shelter Ready for a Bookshelf?
If you run or work at a shelter that serves children, we want to hear from you. Our application takes just a few minutes, and there is absolutely no cost, ever.
The bookshelf and every book on it will belong to your shelter. Any child in your care will have free, open access to read and enjoy them.
Example of the books and shelf we send, titles and selection will vary by shipment.
What We Provide
A shelf full of possibility
We hand-select around 100 new and like-new children's books: picture books, early readers, chapter books, and more, chosen to reflect the diversity of the kids we serve.
We ship an easy-to-assemble bookshelf along with all the books. Your team puts it together, fills the shelves, and it's ready! The books belong to the shelter permanently, and every child who walks through the door has free, open access.
