William Penn Foundation

Thanks to the support of the William Penn Foundation, First Book, Read by 4th, the Philly Book Bank, & Literacy and More have partnered to ensure that local Philly programs have the books they need to engage families and get kids excited about reading. Over the past three years we have worked with local organizations to distribute over 80,000 brand-new, culturally relevant books throughout low-income communities in Philadelphia. The Philly Book Wish Program launched in November 2022 and invited Philly-area literacy champions to apply for up to $5,000 worth of brand-new books. Anyone working in a Title I-eligible school or representing a program in which at least 7 of 10 children reached are from low-income families were eligible to apply for a Book Wish grant. This program has now sunset after three successful years, serving over 200 Philly-based organizations and over 250,000 children in the city.