Your book may be the one that is a child's first book
...forever.

The Books Forever Yours Story

What is Books Forever Yours?

Books Forever Yours, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, provides age appropriate books to the children of the Spokane, Washington area, at no cost, so that the love of reading can be nourished.

Can you imagine not having books to read to your children before bed? Can you imagine as a child not having a story to take you away to the land of your imagination? Thousands of children in our area do not have books in their home for their age group or reading level.

We bring books to these children through childcare centers, hospitals, family and child abuse prevention centers, and other organizations. The children choose books to take home with the help of their program leaders.

Books can give children, perhaps for the first time, the magic only a story can bring. This magic can be shared with siblings and other family members.

Why is Books Forever Yours Needed?

Books Forever Yours is needed because thousands of our local children do not have books at home. Existing Spokane libraries and literacy book programs loan books or donate books only to children enrolled in literacy programs.

Many families in these economic times do not have a lot of discretionary income. Too often, books are considered "extras". According to a recent study (Spokane County Health Profile, April 2001, published by the Washington Health Foundation), 17.1% of the population in Spokane County are children aged 0-17 living below the Federal Poverty Level.

Giving a child a book, all his own, can make a difference. Our mission is to give books to local children at no cost regardless of educational circumstances or ethnic background.

How did Books Forever Yours come to be?

Books Forever Yours, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, provides age appropriate books to the children of the Spokane, Washington area, at no cost, so that the love of reading can be nourished.

But how did it start? Our founder, Karen Mimms, was cleaning out her children's bookshelves and realized she had hundreds of books that her children had outgrown or just didn't read any more. She wanted to make sure that the books that were in really good condition went to children who would read them. How to do this? It seemed like such an easy thing to do but it turned out to be difficult. She could give them to charities but then the families would need to purchase the books. There just wasn't a way in Spokane, WA to give a book directly to a child.

Karen contacted childcare centers, hospitals, family and child abuse prevention centers, and other organizations to see if there was a need for new or gently-used books. The response was overwhelming. Within a few weeks she had over 40 sites or 4,000 children who needed books in their homes.

And so....Books Forever Yours came to be.

Books can give children, perhaps for the first time, the magic only a story can bring. This magic can be shared with siblings and other family members.