work for impact

BookFest

Providing kids with the books they need to succeed

Third grade is a crucial time for students: when they transition from “learning to read” to “reading to learn.” Yet in Lane County, 60% of third graders are not reading proficiently, meaning they’re four times less likely to graduate from high school on time.

In response, United Way of Lane County annually hosts BookFest: a community-wide program helping K-2 students build their home libraries, maintain reading gains over the summer, and ultimately, help them improve their reading scores.

In 2026, during our ninth annual BookFest, more than 7,500 books were distributed to over 1,500 children in Lane County - across 14 schools in eight school districts!

How It Works

Each year, we partner with schools throughout Lane County where students have the most opportunity to increase their reading scores.

In February and March, we raise funds to purchase new, popular, diverse books kids love. Then in May and June, with help from volunteers like you, we host book distribution days so K-2 students at each school can fill book bags with their favorite books to build their home libraries and keep them reading over the summer.

Increasing students’ access to age-appropriate books is one of the key components to improving reading scores.