Read To Grow, Inc.

What Read To Grow, Inc. does

Read to Grow, Inc. is a Connecticut-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN 06-1572185), founded in 2000 by Roxanne Coady, owner of RJ Julia Booksellers, originally as the Books for Babies Fund. The organization distributes free children's books and literacy resources to families across Connecticut from birth through adolescence, operating four interconnected programs: Books for Babies (literacy kits and guidance for newborns and prenatal families, anchored by a founding partnership with Yale New Haven Hospital), Books for Kids (direct-to-family book mailings and bulk donations to childcare centers, schools, libraries, and community organizations), the Bookmobile (a mobile library launched in September 2022 that visits neighborhoods, schools, and community events), and Popcorn & PJs (a virtual storytime series featuring renowned authors). The organization has distributed more than 2.8 million books and served more than 1.59 million families since founding, with Books for Kids distributing 139,000+ books annually and 30+ hospitals and 6,400+ community partners actively engaged.

The delivery model is community-led and partnership-driven rather than technology-led. Books for Babies kits are distributed directly in hospitals and prenatal clinics; the NICU Early Literacy Project (Tiny Tales), launched in 2020 with Connecticut Children's Hospital, places books in NICU isolettes for premature infants; and the Bookmobile extends reach into underserved neighborhoods. The Books for Kids program mails free books to Connecticut families on request, with childcare centers, schools, and community organizations able to pick up books at the Branford office free of charge or pay a $15 delivery fee for shipment within the state. The technology stack is minimal: a multilingual website (English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Arabic) built on standard web tooling, Constant Contact for email outreach, Bloomerang for donations, and SignUp.com for volunteer scheduling — there is no proprietary platform, no mobile app, and no public API.

Read to Grow operates as a donation-dependent nonprofit with no publicly disclosed revenue. Revenue streams consist of monetary donations (one-time and recurring online contributions), book donations (new and used children's books), and organized community book drives. The organization is governed by an independent Board of Directors (President Monette Ferguson, Ph.D.; Vice President Carla M. Horwitz, Ed.D.; Treasurer Jane Lee, M.B.A.; Secretary Jennifer Groves Fusco, J.D.), with Roxanne Coady serving as Founder and Board Member Emerita. There is no parent company, no private equity or institutional investor backing, and no public funding rounds; the organization is staffed by approximately 15 people and supported by 280+ active volunteers. The organization holds a 2025 Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency.

Name

Read To Grow, Inc.

Legal name

Read to Grow Inc.

Website

https://readtogrow.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Read to Grow is a Connecticut-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that distributes free books and early literacy resources to families with children from birth through adolescence via hospital partnerships, schools, community organizations, a statewide Bookmobile, and direct mail.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Early Childhood Literacy Services

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Family & Parenting Education (Family Literacy, Parenting Skills) (EDAAAFAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Health Education & Parent Coaching (Sleep, Safety, Illness Management) (EDACAMAN)

Keywords

• Early childhood literacy
• Book donation programs
• Community literacy outreach
• Newborn literacy kits
• Mobile library services

Headquarters

HQ city

Branford

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Monetary Donations: The organization relies on financial contributions from donors to purchase new books, support literacy programming, and reach more families annually. Donations can be made online as one-time or recurring contributions.
2. Book Donations: Accepts donations of new and used children's books in good condition which are then distributed to children, families, and educators throughout Connecticut.
3. Book Drive Organizing: Organizes community book drives where individuals and groups collect books to donate. The organization provides toolkits, materials, and support to help organize successful campaigns.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Read To Grow, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN 06-1572185) headquartered in Branford, Connecticut that distributes free children's books to families with young children through programs including Books for Babies (hospital bedside delivery at birth), Books for Kids (clinic, school, and library distribution), the Prenatal Project, NICU Tiny Tales, the Bookmobile community mobile library, and Popcorn & PJs family literacy events. Services are delivered free of charge to families in partnership with 30+ Connecticut hospitals, 6,400+ community partners, and 280+ volunteers.

Product overview

Read to Grow is a statewide Connecticut nonprofit organization operating a suite of interconnected early literacy programs: Books for Babies (providing free books and literacy guidance from before birth), Books for Kids (distributing free books to children and families), the Bookmobile (a mobile library bringing books to underserved communities), and Popcorn & PJs (virtual author storytime events). The organization delivers hundreds of thousands of books annually through these programs, serving families from birth through childhood.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Books for Babies: Flagship program providing free developmentally appropriate books and literacy guides to families from birth, partnering with hospitals and healthcare providers. Includes Newborn Project, Prenatal Project, and NICU Early Literacy Project (Tiny Tales).
• Books for Kids
• Bookmobile
• Popcorn & PJs

Products and services

• Books for Babies Hospital bedside program that delivers a free, age-appropriate children's book to families of newborns at partner Connecticut hospitals, with the goal of reaching every newborn in the state.
• Books for Kids Distribution program that places free children's books in pediatric clinics, schools, libraries, and community organizations so children up to approximately age eight can take books home.
• Prenatal Project Program that reaches expectant families during pregnancy with free books and literacy support, extending the organization's reach upstream of the Books for Babies hospital delivery.
• NICU Tiny Tales Program delivering books and literacy support to families with infants in partner hospital NICUs, supporting reading and bonding during neonatal intensive care stays.
• Bookmobile Mobile library service that brings free children's books and literacy programming directly into Connecticut neighborhoods, schools, and community events via a traveling vehicle.
• Popcorn & PJs Family literacy program that pairs a children's book with popcorn and pajamas-style family reading experiences, distributed through partner channels for family engagement at home.

Quantifiable outcome

• 71% of families read together daily after first Books for Babies contact (up from 51% baseline)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Connecticut Children's HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Partner for NICU Early Literacy Program (Tiny Tales initiative) providing books and literacy resources directly in isolettes to support language development for premature infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
• Community Health Centers and ClinicscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Prenatal Project partners distributing educational materials and board books to pregnant families through community health centers and clinics to establish early reading routines.
• Yale New Haven HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding hospital partner where Books for Babies program began over 25 years ago. Continues to distribute literacy kits to families with newborns.
• Hospitals and Clinics (30+)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide network of 30+ hospitals and clinics actively partnering with Read to Grow to distribute books and literacy resources to families with newborns.
• Reach Out and Read (ROAR) PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare providers trained in Read to Grow's literacy messaging who distribute books and literacy information during well-child visits.
• Childcare Centers, Schools, and LibrariesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgram partners receiving bulk book donations to support literacy efforts throughout Connecticut.
• Community Organizations (6,400+)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExtensive network of community partner connections supporting book distribution and literacy events statewide.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• PJ Library: Jewish-inspired (but inclusive) family-literacy program sending free monthly children's books to families nationwide. Operates an equivalent direct-to-family book-delivery model at national scale.
• First Book: National nonprofit distributing books and educational resources to children in underserved communities via a network of educators and program partners. Highly comparable to Read to Grow's Books for Kids program partner distribution model.
• Dolly Parton's Imagination Library: The flagship U.S. book-gifting nonprofit delivering free age-appropriate books monthly to children from birth to age 5. Operates at national scale with the same core proposition as Read to Grow's Books for Babies/Kids programs.
• Reach Out and Read: National nonprofit that partners with pediatricians to give books to children at well-child visits. Read to Grow explicitly partners with Reach Out and Read affiliates in Connecticut, making it a near-perfect model comparator and channel partner.
• BookSpring (Austin Public Library Foundation): Texas-based nonprofit promoting childhood literacy through book distribution and family literacy programs. A regional book-gifting and family-literacy peer of comparable size to Read to Grow.
• Raising A Reader: National family-literacy nonprofit focused on building home reading routines through partner-based book rotation and parent engagement — closely aligned with Read to Grow's home-library and parent-coaching approach.

Regional players

• Literacy Inc (LINC): New York City nonprofit dedicated to literacy development for underserved children and families, leveraging community-based partnerships. Comparable regional-literacy-nonprofit model in a different geographic market.

Broad incumbents

• Room to Read: Global literacy nonprofit operating across books, girls' education, and school system support in 20+ countries. Comparable mission at much larger scale, useful as a strategic reference for how a literacy nonprofit can scale internationally.

Emerging players

• The Literacy Lab: National early-literacy nonprofit providing literacy coaching and intervention in high-need communities. Partial overlap with Read to Grow's family-literacy coaching components.
• Parents Action for Children (formerly I Am Your Child Foundation): Early-childhood and parent-engagement nonprofit adjacent to Read to Grow's parent-education and family-literacy positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/readtogrow
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/read-to-grow-inc
• Instagraminstagram.com/readtogrow

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Read To Grow, Inc.