A Durham nonprofit received a major grant to help fund and expand its book distribution program to elementary-aged students for summer reading.
Book Harvest announced Friday it was chosen to receive $250,000 from the William R. Kenan Jr. Charitable Trust to grow its Books on Break program across North Carolina. The initiative, which is approaching its 13th year, has provided more than 500,000 books to thousands of students to keep as their own and help maintain literacy skills while out of school.
The William R. Kenan Jr. Charitable Trust, which is a frequent contributor to the nonprofit, is based in Chapel Hill and focuses on projects aiding children’s education and their surrounding communities.
“The Kenan Trust is committed to funding innovative and effective programs in education,” said Nancy J. Cable, Executive Director of the Kenan Charitable Trust. “The Books on Break program embodies these qualities, and we appreciate the vision of Book Harvest to expand the program across North Carolina. We are honored to partner in this initiative to support student learning and growth over summer break.”
“This grant from the Kenan Charitable Trust is a transformative opportunity to scale our proven program during the critical summer months,” said Rachel Stine, Senior Director of Books on Break. “We will be able to expand our reach to an additional 3,900 students, with a focused effort on reaching students who attend Title 1 schools.”
Book Harvest said the grant investment will help it partner with new school districts, improve implementation and expand communication to promote the program statewide. Books on Break takes place in May, and brings a wide selection of new books to campuses for students to choose between and take home. In 2024, the program took place at 37 schools across five counties, including Durham, and provided 12,347 students with more than 101,000 books.
By creating excitement and ownership around reading books, Book Harvest aims to tackle one of its main goals when founded in 2011: help children strengthen their literacy through empowering and enabling them. The nonprofit says 78% of North Carolina’s children in low-income families are not reading proficiently by the end of third grade — and summer is often a time when those skills erode if not practiced. Books on Break gives the students books to help retain and advance their reading, while bringing excitement to their classrooms in a group setting.
More about Book Harvest’s Books on Break program can be found on the nonprofit’s website.
Featured image via Book Harvest.
Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.
Related Stories
‹
Chapel Hill, Carrboro Communities Prepare to Celebrate MLK DayThis year, even amidst a global pandemic, many facets of the community are coming together to celebrate MLK Day and continue Dr. King's legacy of activism and service.
![]()
Local NAACP Vice President Wins Citizenship AwardVice President for the Chapel Hill – Carrboro NAACP James Williams received a citizenship award at UNC’s annual Martin Luther King Memorial Banquet earlier this month. Williams says 50 years after King’s assassination, he can still feel the impact the civil rights hero has had on his life. “It was indeed an honor to receive […]
Extraordinary Thrift Store in Carrboro Holds Ribbon-Cutting, Welcomes CustomersLocal officials, Extraordinary Ventures employees, and eager shoppers alike braved the rain to celebrate the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Carrboro thrift store.
Chapel Hill’s Weavers Grove Welcomes First Residents, Offering a Vision of Inclusive HomeownershipWeavers Grove, the long-anticipated mixed-income community spearheaded by Habitat for Humanity of Orange County, is officially coming to life in Chapel Hill.
![]()
On Air Today: Triangle Rotary Clubs Packing Meals on MLK DayTriangle-area Rotary clubs are coming together on MLK Day to pack meals for 180,000 residents in need - and they want your donations.
On the Porch: Daniele Berman and Kimberly Sanchez - Community Home TrustThis Week:
Kimberly Sanchez has been a nonprofit leader for over 15 years, having come to Community Home Trust (CHT) as the former CEO of Community Legal Services of Mid-Florida (CLSMF), a nonprofit law firm and legal aid organization, headquartered in Orlando, Florida. She is a member of the Board of Directors for Dispute Settlement Center, a statewide conflict resolution nonprofit headquartered in Carrboro. She is also a member of the North Carolina Community Land Trust Coalition and a past co-chair of the Orange County Affordable Housing Coalition (OCAHC).
Daniele Berman is the Vice President of Strategy and Operations for Community Home Trust. She plays a key role in advancing the organization’s mission through strategic planning, effective program execution, and organizational infrastructure development. Daniele has worked in the nonprofit sector for over a decade and was recognized for her work as a “Hometown Hero” by WCHL in 2016. She represents CHT as a member of the Orange County Affordable Housing Coalition (OCAHC) and the North Carolina Community Land Trust Coalition (NCCLTC) and has served as a Peer Coach with Nonprofit Marketing Guide
![]()
On Air Today: Building Bookcases for a Cause, with Book Harvest and Hope RenovationsAaron welcomes Book Harvest and Hope Renovations, who are joining forces for a new project that supports both of their missions at once.
Fairview Youth In Action Holds Annual Walk Fairview Day Amid Program's Uncertain FutureLast weekend, the Fairview Youth in Action internship hosted its fifth-annual Walk Fairview Day in Hillsborough.
No Clear Solution: Protecting Orange County's Manufactured Home CommunitiesOrange County is a place people want to raise their families, and manufactured housing allows a lot of low-income housing families to do that.
Durham's Book Harvest Earns $250,000 to Expand 'Books on Break' Summer ProgramThe Durham nonprofit Book Harvest received a major grant to help fund and expand its book distribution program for summer reading.
›
