Books from Birth is more than just books. It provides foundational literacy resources that have been shown to increase academic outcomes for participants who also have fewer behavioral cases in school. It also strengthens bonds between child and parents and other caregivers, forging lifelong learning relationships. Sustaining the last twenty years of momentum is critical as we enter our 21st year of providing books to Shelby County’s youngest children and preparing them for school success.

These books become each child’s personal library and sets them up through academic success as shown through external research:

1. Students who received more books from Books from Birth tended to have better academic and nonacademic outcomes

2. Elementary students who received the top and bottom 50% of books still had better iReady placement results and fewer behavior cases than non-BFB students

3. 92% of parents of participating children shared that they are reading more with their child

4. 93% of parents reported reading with their child at least 4 days per week, with 71% sharing that they read with their child 5+ days per week.

Though the program is at no cost to families, Porter-Leath must raise $25 per child per year to sustain current enrollment levels as the financial responsibility for the work rests with the local affiliate. Costs are up 18% over the last year due to sudden USPS rate increases, meaning that over $900,000 is needed to invest children with the literacy resources they need at the current enrollment level. Can you help us continue building a community of readers by making a gift today or with a monthly gift?

• $25 gives a child age-appropriate books for the next year

• $125 allows a child to participate for all five years of the program

• $500 provides a classroom of twenty preschool students with books for the year

• $2500 ensures that the same classroom has the full complement of 60 books over their preschool years