Anne Keenan is fundraising
Don’t Let the Philly Book Bank Disappear
We Need a New Home — Can You Help?
The Philly Book Bank urgently needs a donated space or funds to help cover rent. After over 20 years and 1 million free books given to Philly's kids, we're at risk of losing our home at MLK High School.
We're seeking:
- A safe, accessible space large enough to house thousands of books and welcome visitors
- Or help raising $25,000 to cover rent, moving costs, utilities, insurance, and basic storage
Please consider donating or helping us secure a new space.
Help the Philly Book Bank Find a New Home
We're the volunteers behind the Philly Book Bank — a grassroots initiative powered by Reading Recycled, dedicated to providing free books to kids and families across Philadelphia. For more than two decades, we've poured our hearts — and funds — into building one of the city's largest collections of free children's books.
Over 1 Million Books Given Away — and Counting
For 20+ years, we've operated out of MLK High School, distributing more than a million books to teachers, families, and community groups. Every book is free. Every volunteer is unpaid. Every child reached is a win.
We've invested every dollar we had in what matters most: books.
However, after losing half of our space, we're facing significant challenges to remain operational — many of which are beyond our control. We had a very productive meeting with the District and MLK High School yesterday and received some assurances that we can remain in the short term. However, our effectiveness in the reduced space and other obstacles remain.
The future of the Philly Book Bank is still at risk — and we need your support.
What We Do — Beyond the Bookshelf
We don't just hand out books — we build literacy-supporting programs for Philly's children:
Sidewalk Libraries: We stock neighborhood book boxes to keep stories accessible 24/7
Books for the Start: We provide books to parenting students in the School District of Philadelphia
️ Job Skills for Special Education Students: We offer hands-on work experiences with our collection
Recharge PlaySpaces: We create calming spaces in police districts for kids to decompress
Books for Breaks: We give kids books to take home on school breaks — and they get to choose what they read
️ We Need a New Space — Urgently
We're a small, all-volunteer team with no salaries or overhead. We're urgently looking for a new space that is:
Safe and accessible
Large enough for thousands of books
Easy for Philly teachers and families to reach
We can't afford to disappear — too many kids count on us.
❤️ How You Can Help
We're raising $25,000 to cover:
- Rent or lease for 6–12 months
- Moving and transportation costs
- Basic storage (shelves, carts, boxes)
- Utilities and minimal insurance
Every dollar helps us stay open — and stay free.
We're Not Done Yet
We believe in the power of books — and in showing up for kids with stories, support, and safe spaces.
We believe in our community — and that's you.
Please consider donating, sharing, or helping us secure a new space.
Let's make sure the Philly Book Bank reaches the next million books — and the next generation of readers.
With heartfelt thanks,
The Volunteers at the Philly Book Bank
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