REACH, Inc. (Reading Enriches All Children)

What REACH, Inc. (Reading Enriches All Children) does

REACH, Inc. (Reading Enriches All Children) is a nonprofit literacy organization founded in 1998 in Virginia Beach and currently headquartered at 5802 E Virginia Beach Blvd in the JANAF Shopping Yard in Norfolk, Virginia. The organization promotes literacy for children throughout Coastal Virginia, with a primary focus on at-risk and homeless children ages 0-17 living at or below the federal poverty level. REACH operates six interconnected programs: The Big Free Bookstore (a free physical bookstore open six days a week, described as the only U.S. bookstore distributing new books, school supplies, and hosting activities at no cost), Family Literacy Kits for children ages 0-5 in home visitation programs, RAP Sessions (Read Aloud Program) for ages 6-12 in shelters and community events, Growing Readers book distribution, the School House Rockin' Teacher Resource Program supporting Title I educators, and Bulk Book Distribution to partner agencies.

The business model is donation-driven and grant-supported, with no consumer pricing—all books and resources are provided free to recipients under an honor-code system that caps distribution at two new and two used books per person per household, up to two visits per week. Revenue streams include individual monetary donations (Venmo, PayPal, GiveButter PAL monthly giving, Facebook Fundraisers, stock gifts), corporate sponsorships (TowneBank, Ferguson, Sentara Cares, Huntington Ingalls Industries, Barnes & Noble, Farm Credit, Bon Secours, Magellan Federal), charitable gaming at Bingo Palace in Virginia Beach (over $150,000 raised in 10 months of 2023), Etsy merchandise sales, United Way workplace campaigns, and emerging government/grant funding. REACH claims over 97% of donations flow directly to programs.

Operationally, the organization runs on a small paid staff of approximately 6 employees augmented by volunteers recruited through Volunteer Hampton Roads, with deep ties to a partner network of 180+ teachers, schools, agencies, shelters, libraries, and corporate supporters. Under Executive Director Dr. Jennifer Goff (since May 2017), REACH quadrupled its resource distribution, tripled its operating budget, and tripled its workforce. The organization reports distributing 395,120 books and resources valued at $4,036,763 over a recent five-year period. There is no technology platform or proprietary software product; the operating model is fundamentally community-and-distribution-led rather than technology-led.

Name

REACH, Inc. (Reading Enriches All Children)

Legal name

REACH, Inc. (Reading Enriches All Children)

Website

https://reachreads.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

REACH, Inc. is a 1998-founded nonprofit literacy organization that distributes free books, school supplies, and literacy programming to at-risk and homeless children across Coastal Virginia through its Big Free Bookstore and five complementary programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Children's Literacy Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Literature & Book Clubs / Guided Reading Groups (EDAMAJAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Early Literacy & Reading Intervention Programs (EDAGAAAD)

Keywords

• Children's literacy programs
• Free book distribution
• Nonprofit literacy services
• Early childhood literacy
• Title I school support

Headquarters

HQ city

Norfolk

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Monetary Donations: Individual donations via Venmo, PayPal, GiveButter monthly giving (PAL program), Facebook Fundraisers, and stock donations. Over 97% of donations go directly to programs.
2. Corporate Partnerships & Sponsorships: Financial support from corporate sponsors including TowneBank, Ferguson, Sentara Cares, Huntington Ingalls Industries, Barnes & Noble, and others.
3. Charitable Gaming (Bingo): Bingo Palace fundraising events in Virginia Beach generate significant funding - over $150,000 between January and October 2023.
4. Etsy Store Sales: Literacy-inspired merchandise sold through Etsy shop to support children's literacy programs.
5. Government & Grant Support: Seeking government support and collaborative grants to create sustainable and reproducible literacy models.
6. United Way Workplace Campaigns: Corporate workplace giving campaigns through United Way of South Hampton Roads.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

REACH, Inc. is a Coastal Virginia nonprofit that promotes children's literacy by providing free books, school supplies, and literacy programming to children ages 0-17, especially those at-risk, in poverty, or homeless. Its central offering is The Big Free Bookstore, a no-cost bookstore in Norfolk, complemented by Family Literacy Kits (ages 0-5), RAP Sessions read-aloud programs (ages 6-12), the School House Rockin' Teacher Resource Program for Title I schools, Growing Readers community distribution, and Bulk Book Distribution to partner agencies.

Product overview

REACH, Inc. operates as Coastal Virginia's 'Foodbank of Books,' offering a portfolio of six interconnected literacy programs rather than a unified software platform. The core offering is The Big Free Bookstore, a no-cost book distribution center serving families throughout Coastal Virginia. Supporting programs include Family Literacy Kits for early childhood (ages 0-5), RAP Sessions read-aloud program for children (ages 6-12), Growing Readers book distribution, School House Rockin' Teacher Resource Program for Title I schools, and Bulk Book Distribution to partner agencies. These programs work together to provide books and literacy resources across all age groups and educational settings, addressing the needs of at-risk and homeless children from birth through adolescence.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• The Big Free Bookstore Free bookstore offering high-quality new and gently used books with a focus on children's literature, located at JANAF Shopping Yard in Norfolk, VA. Operates on an honor-code system allowing customers to take up to two new and two used books per visit, up to two visits per week. Open Tuesday-Saturday 10am-7pm.
• Family Literacy Kits Program providing literacy resources to families with children aged zero to five who are enrolled in home visitation programs, supporting early childhood development through books and materials.
• RAP Sessions (Read Aloud Program) Community reading program that empowers children aged 6-12 and their families through read-aloud sessions held at The Big Free Bookstore, local community events, and area homeless and domestic violence shelters.
• Growing Readers Program distributing gently used books free of charge to children, families, and agencies to foster a culture of literacy in communities that need it most.
• School House Rockin' Teacher Resource Program Program providing teachers, especially those in Title I schools, with free gently loved books, new school supplies, and classroom sets of high-interest books. Teachers can visit twice weekly for used books and receive new materials monthly.
• Bulk Book Distribution Program providing new books at little to no cost to partner agencies and programs that qualify based on their commitment to literacy and community service.

Quantifiable outcome

• 395,120 books and resources distributed in 5 years
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers27 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered supporters, core, community and partners.

• TowneBanksupportersOthersCorporate sponsor/supporter of REACH's literacy mission
• Farm CreditsupportersOthersCorporate sponsor/supporter of REACH's literacy mission
• Kiwanis Club (Lynnhaven)supportersOthersService club partner supporting literacy initiatives
• Barnes & NoblesupportersOthersBook retailer partner supporting literacy mission
• Huntington Ingalls IndustriessupportersOthersCorporate sponsor/supporter of REACH's literacy mission
• United Way of South Hampton RoadscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorkplace campaign partner enabling employee giving programs and collaborative support for literacy initiatives across the region
• FergusonsupportersOthersCorporate sponsor/supporter of REACH's literacy mission
• Sentara CaressupportersOthersHealthcare corporate sponsor supporting literacy mission
• Virginia Air and Space MuseumcommunityGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity partner for educational events and programs
• 2nd & CharlespartnersOthersUsed bookstore partner
• Norfolk Public LibrarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner for literacy initiatives and community programs
• Bon SecourssupportersOthersHealthcare partner supporting community literacy
• Hampton UniversitypartnersOthersEducational institution partner
• Magellan FederalsupportersOthersFederal contractor sponsor
• Old Dominion UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner; Board member Christian Ponce serves as Associate Vice President for Marketing. Dr. Goff has academic ties from her PhD program.
• Volunteer Hampton RoadscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPlatform partner for recruiting and managing volunteers for REACH programs
• Communities in SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational nonprofit partner coordinating special events and literacy programs
• ForKidscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit partner for homeless services and literacy programs
• Tidewater Friends of Foster CarecommunityStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit partner for foster care literacy support
• Help and Emergency Response (H.E.R.) SheltercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDomestic violence shelter partner for RAP Sessions and book distribution
• Bingo PalacecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVirginia Beach venue hosting Bingo fundraising events that generate over $150,000 annually for REACH

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Little Free Library: Nonprofit that builds and maintains free book-sharing boxes nationwide — comparable mission of increasing free access to books in communities, with a physical-distribution model analogous to REACH's Big Free Bookstore.
• First Book: Nonprofit providing free and low-cost books to children in low-income communities, with a national network of educators and programs — directly comparable to REACH's Title I school and partner-agency distribution model.
• Book Harvest: Durham, NC-based nonprofit providing free books to children and families in need through book distribution programs — closely comparable regional book-bank model serving low-income children, similar to REACH's Coastal Virginia footprint.
• Dolly Parton's Imagination Library: Nationwide nonprofit that mails free, age-appropriate books to children from birth to age five — directly comparable to REACH's early-literacy book-distribution mission and target demographic.
• Reading Is Fundamental (RIF): Long-standing national literacy nonprofit focused on providing books and literacy resources to underserved children — directly comparable mission and end-beneficiary focus as REACH.
• Kids in Need Foundation: Nonprofit providing supplies and resources to students in underserved schools — comparable mission of distributing free educational materials to Title I schools, overlapping with REACH's School House Rockin' Teacher Resource Program.
• Books for Africa: Nonprofit collecting and distributing books to address the book famine in Africa — comparable large-scale book-distribution logistics and donor-driven book sourcing model.
• Reach Out and Read: National nonprofit that partners with pediatric clinics to give free books to children at well-child visits — comparable early-literacy intervention targeting at-risk children, overlapping with REACH's 0–5 Family Literacy Kits.
• Raising A Reader: National early-literacy and family-engagement nonprofit that provides books and training to families — directly comparable to REACH's Family Literacy Kits and early childhood literacy programs.

Broad incumbents

• United Way Worldwide: Large national umbrella nonprofit that funds and convenes local social-service and education programs — comparable as a community-funding and workplace-giving platform partner, and is an active REACH partner itself.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/REACHreads
• Facebookfacebook.com/REACHreads
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/reachreadsva
• Instagraminstagram.com/reachreads
• TikToktiktok.com/@reachreads

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about REACH, Inc. (Reading Enriches All Children)