TOBF
The Open Book Foundation
Who We Are?
The Open Book Foundation was created with a simple mission: "Bridge the literacy gap amongst low-income elementary schools". We accomplish this mission by purchasing and donating new books to Title I elementary schools and community organizations with a literacy emphasis.
Our Mission
We believe that access to education resources can fundamentally change a class and community.
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Barriers exist and often stand in the way for kids in low-income communities, including scarce books and learning materials and a lack of diversity in the books that do reach them. Even the most basic needs go unmet for many of these children. The Open Book Foundations mission is to combat literacy inequality in low-income communities and schools.
Understanding the Need
Educational resources particularly in the K-5 grade levels are vital to helping create strong readers. However, students who live in low-income communities often lack access to those resources.
44% of all U.S. children come from low-income families.
Poverty is reshaping education: 51% of students across the nation’s public schools are low income; coming to school without even their basic needs met and under extreme stress.
Public education is underfunded: 23 states spend less on public education than they did a decade ago.
Economic devastation is deep and broad: The effect of an inequitable educational system is the equivalent of a national recession.
Our Solution
The Open Book Foundation model is built on the concept of dramatically increasing the access to literacy resources for Title I Elementary Schools, and families in low-income neighborhoods. However, increasing access to literacy resources in-and-out of school is only one small part of a larger strategic change that is needed to ensure our children have every opportunity to succeed.
The Impact
Through Strategic Partnerships The Open Book Foundation is able to purchase and donate new reading books at a fraction of the price to provide to our communities in need.
290 thousand
Books and resources distributed to date
400 thousand
children reached annually.
15 States
States supported by adding new classrooms weekly.