Lead to Read KC Marks 15 Years with Metro-Wide Book Drive to Combat Literacy Crisis
Lead to Read KC is celebrating its 15th anniversary by holding a metro-wide book drive through August 23rd. The organization aims to combat the literacy crisis in Kansas City, where only about 23% of third graders read at grade level.…
Kansas City, MO, August 16, 2026 —
Lead to Read KC is marking its 15th anniversary with a significant community initiative: a metro-wide book drive aimed at addressing the persistent literacy crisis in Kansas City. The drive is currently underway and will continue through August 23rd.
The organization highlighted a concerning statistic regarding local literacy rates: only approximately 23% of third graders in the Kansas City area are reading at grade level. In response to this challenge, Lead to Read KC is encouraging community members to contribute by donating new or like-new children’s books.
Donations can be made at 15 participating independent bookstores located throughout the Kansas City metropolitan area. The specific locations of these bookstores are not provided in the summary.
The books collected during this drive will be instrumental in supporting Lead to Read KC’s existing programs. These programs include a dedicated reading mentoring initiative, which pairs volunteers with young students, and the expansion of “Reading Is Everywhere” locations, designed to increase access to books in the community.
The book drive represents a focused effort by Lead to Read KC to bolster reading skills and access to literature for children in Kansas City as the organization enters its second decade of service.
Story summarized from the original created by Miya Ingle on www.kctv5.com, see more information here.