Delco Books for a Brighter Start was founded by a Delaware County community advocate, former Head Start student, and lifelong volunteer who understands firsthand the importance of early childhood education and access to books.

What began as a grassroots effort has grown into a community-supported nonprofit that has distributed more than 16,000 free children’s books through Head Start programs, schools, community organizations, and public events. Our mission is simple: help ensure that children have books of their own, regardless of their family’s ability to afford them.

As our distribution efforts have grown, so has our need for the infrastructure to support them. Until now, much of our book inventory has been stored in the founder’s home, taking up space meant for everyday family life. We’re ready to move our inventory into dedicated storage, where books can be organized, accessed, and prepared for distribution more efficiently. We’re also hoping to give the founder’s dining room back to the family!

Storage is only part of the equation. Getting books to children requires reliable transportation, and moving large quantities of books can be physically demanding for our volunteers. Dedicated storage and regular access to a cargo van will help us organize inventory, reduce unnecessary handling, and make loading and unloading safer and more manageable.

We’re raising $7,000 to cover a year of storage and transportation, along with shelving to keep our inventory organized and accessible.

These investments will do more than cover operating expenses. They’ll help us say yes to more community events, reach more children, and give our volunteers a safer, more efficient way to do their work. Just as importantly, they’ll help us build an organization that can grow beyond the limitations of relying on the founder’s personal involvement in every distribution. With better systems and infrastructure in place, volunteers will be better equipped to help manage distributions, allowing the organization to serve more children without every opportunity depending on one person’s availability.

Our goal is to build a sustainable operation that can respond to community needs, support our volunteers, and continue putting free books into children’s hands for years to come.

Every contribution helps make that possible. By supporting these essential investments, you’re helping us move beyond the limitations of a grassroots operation run out of a home and toward a more organized, sustainable future for free children’s books in Delaware County and neighboring communities.

Thank you for helping us build brighter beginnings, one book at a time.

Delco Books Storage and Transportation Fund

Help us reach more children, support our volunteers, and build the infrastructure to bring free books to more communities.