My name is Halley and I'm a 14-year-old entrepreneur seeking a business boost. This is my first time using Gofundme.

Before I became the youngest member of the American Bookseller Association, I founded a literacy and pet adoption philanthropy called Paws Up KC. That 501(c)(3) organization continues to operate a free Bookmobile which I began with a broken lawnmower and yard cart at age 11. I now give out 500+ books each year at over 40 free, outdoor community events. My current Bookmobile is a Cushman mini truck. I do it all. I drive the bookmobile, set up the booth, make the social media posts, and I work in the Winter to secure grant funding. I do most of my philanthropic work in northeastern Kansas which is why I've been locally recognized by IN Kansas City magazine, 41 Action News, Girls On The Run KC, FOX 4 and the Baron Auto Group, and Pitch magazine.

But in November 2022 I also opened a new bookstore, called Seven Stories! I had just 96 ft.² to work with but I had to give it a shot. I sell everything from kid's books to adult novels to copies of the Constitution and handmade art. I know how to do a lot with very little! Here's what it looked like before and after I breathed life into the small space:

Seven Stories, like everything I do, is inclusive and reflects my community and family. I was surprised by how supportive people have been of my new bookstore (We even made the "Best of" list!) but then I realized that we were the only independent bookstore carrying stories by and about Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, and Sikh people. All of those groups have houses of worship within 10 miles of our store. Also, we have a growing collection of Spanish and Mandarin language books because (after English), those are the two most common languages in our local area.

I set out to sell nicer and newer books than I could give away through my free, community Bookmobile and this turned out to fulfill a vital need in my community! Quickly my bookmobile supporters turned into bookstore customers and within six months I knew our store was way too small.

Now I need your help… Because as our first-year lease comes to an end, we know 96 ft.² is not enough. We need a bigger store. I don't need thousands of square feet. I have a space picked out actually, which is a modest step up. Our new location will also be in a handicap accessible building with better foot traffic. But it's going to need some work, including full height, built-in bookshelves and modern LED lighting. The space will require substantial window signage and a plumber.

I will have 30 days to quickly race and complete this work while also attending ninth-grade classes every day.

These improvements do not come cheap and I am an untraditional business owner. It's hard to get a loan when you don't have a long-established credit record, let alone when you're 14. What I do have is a long-established name and face here in my community and I'm hoping you will be willing to pitch in and pay it forward to help me make the new store a reality. My track record proves I am a good investment and even when I make mistakes, I am always adjusting and adapting. I promise just like every other project I have dreamed up and brought to you, my expanded bookstore will be something to brag about and be proud of! I envision version two of Seven Stories to be more of a community drop-in space with events partnered with local groups, local authors, and cooperative tie-ins with the businesses and restaurants around us.

Thank you for supporting our new direction and my passions. I cannot wait to share the new store experience with you!