Getting books into the hands of Puget Sound area kids since 1989
The mission of Northwest Literacy Foundation is to enhance youth literacy in the Puget Sound region of the Pacific Northwest by providing literature and resources to underserved communities
We build partnerships and provide support to schools and community programs that work with at-risk youth.
We promote a continuum of programs that engage youth in learning activities that strengthen literacy skills.
We believe in supporting local independent booksellers by partnering to purchase books for NWLF grants.
We are efficient in delivery of grants and services with low overhead and volunteer leadership.
We seek to provide books to youth that will engage and promote further reading interest as well as quality literature and written works that have lasting value.
Our Guiding Principles
We give money to the librarians and they take their knowledge of their students and passion for books with them to purchase from local, independent bookstores that we have negotiated discounted rates with - stretching donated dollars even further. We then load the books into our own cars and deliver the books to schools personally. Our overhead is next to nonexistent. We don’t have an office. We don’t have a paid position. We don’t have a phone. We don’t have a stapler.
We keep our overhead low
To date we have purchased and placed over 200,000 books in school libraries. Our focus is to support schools with low library budgets and students with high needs. Some of the libraries we support get no yearly budget from the district or support from groups like a PTA. Getting new books into circulation yearly is critical to developing engaged readers.
Over 30 years & 200,000 books
“Thank you Northwest Literacy Foundation! With your support I can get more kids hooked on Sci-Fi and have them create the future they dream!”
— Librarian/grant recipient
