Reducing Barriers to Book Access with the Guru Krupa Foundation
At Brooklyn Book Bodega, we believe that every child deserves access to books that inspire curiosity, creativity, and a lifelong love of reading. Thanks to the continued and generous support of the Guru Krupa Foundation, we’ve been able to expand our reach and deepen our impact through two key initiatives: Community Day book giveaways and the I ❤️ MY B😽D📚GA family workshop. The Guru Krupa Foundation has been an integral partner, giving Brooklyn Book Bodega the opportunity to support core and new programs.
Bringing Books to Families: Community Days
From April through December 2024, Brooklyn Book Bodega hosted eight special Community Day events at our Book Hub in the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Each event was designed to serve approximately 75 households and distribute 2,500 books—a goal that, thanks to our dedicated community, we came close to achieving.
By the Numbers:
📚 Total Books Distributed Per Event (Average): 2,180
👥 Average Attendance Per Event: 64 individuals
📖 Total Reach (Households & Classrooms): 295 people per event
Each Community Day varied in attendance, with book distribution ranging from 1,478 to 3,340 books per event. Families, educators, and community members selected books to add to home and classroom libraries, ensuring that children across Brooklyn had access to engaging reading materials.
A particularly inspiring moment came from a teacher who selected 250 books to build her classroom library and distribute to students, demonstrating how these events amplify literacy in learning environments.
Community Voices: The Impact of Free Books
"The distribution of books has a huge impact on our population of students. It is always awesome to know there is a place to get free books. With a limited amount of funds, it is often hard to purchase books. Our parents are thrilled to know we have hard copies of books their children can still have access to and are able to build their reading comprehension skills."
– Community Associate, M.S. 035 Stephen Decatur
"Having the books was a great addition to our event. The children were so excited to have something to take home, and being able to choose from a variety with their families enabled them to share their love of books."
– Teacher, Brooklyn Prospect Charter School
I ❤️ MY B😽D📚GA: Building Libraries for Young Readers
Another critical initiative supported by the Guru Krupa Foundation is the I ❤️ MY B😽D📚GA family workshop, a program designed for families with young children (ages 0-5). Families build home libraries while learning key literacy strategies. Originally planned as a 10-month program, we refined the structure based on participant feedback, opting for two five-month semesters to provide more flexibility for families.
Cohort Progress & Outcomes:
📚 Cohort 2 (Sept 2024 – Jan 2025): 30 families enrolled, 1,622 books selected
📚 Cohort 3 (Feb – June 2025): 31 families currently enrolled, ongoing
Families meet monthly to engage in literacy workshops, select books, and learn strategies to encourage reading at home. The impact has been profound, with parents reporting increased reading habits and a deeper engagement in literacy activities with their children.
Family Testimonials: A Love for Reading Grows
Parents in the program shared how their experience has influenced their family’s reading habits:
🗣 “Reading daily.”
🗣 “Ways to incorporate reading at home.”
🗣 “Asking open-ended questions to ensure my child is still involved and interested.”
🗣 “Reading with different voices to get my child more excited about books.”
At the heart of the program are the moments families experience together:
"My son has been engaging with sensory books lately and every time he attempts to feel something new on the book without fear he claps and smiles."
"My child tells me they want to read to me instead. So we’ve taken turns reading to each other—even though she doesn’t know how to read yet!"
"“We received the book There Is a Bird on Your Head from the program. My son and daughter love this book. My son plays the pig and his father plays the elephant. He reads the expressions when there is an exclamation mark and acts the book out. Watching them read this book is…very special…for our family.”
A Grateful Look Ahead
With each book distributed, Brooklyn Book Bodega is reinforcing its core values of access, choice, ownership, reuse, discovery, and community. These programs not only provide children with books but also foster a culture where reading is celebrated, shared, and sustained.
We are deeply honored to receive the support of the Guru Krupa Foundation and proud to have helped so many New Yorkers start or grow their home libraries. As we continue to expand our initiatives, we look forward to building even stronger connections with families, educators, and community members across Brooklyn.
Stay tuned for more updates on how books change lives—one home library at a time!
Want to Get Involved?
📖 Donate Books | 🏡 Support a Family Program | 💡 Volunteer at an Event
Visit Brooklyn Book Bodega to learn more!
← CHECK OUT OTHER COMMUNITY CORNER POSTS